MUDA ’scam’: Karnataka High Court rejects plea to transfer case against CM to CBI

mangaloretoday.com

Bengaluru, February 07, 2025: The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed the petition seeking CBI probe into the allotment of the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) alternative sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathy. Justice M Nagaprasanna observed the office of the Lokayukta does not suffer from questionable independence.

“The material on record on its perusal nowhere indicates that the investigation conducted by the Lokayukta is partisan, lopsided or shoddy for this court to refer the matter to the CBI for further investigation or reinvestigation.As a result the petition would necessarily meet its dismissal and is accordingly dismissed,” Justice Nagaprasanna said.

The petition was filed by one of the complainants Snehamayi Krishna contending that an impartial investigation is not possible since Siddaramaiah, being the Chief Minister of the state, wields immense power and influence over the state departments,especially the state investigating agencies such as the police authorities and the Karnataka Lokayukta police. He has also filed an interlocutory application (IA) seeking to add the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) as a party-respondent in the main petition.

Advocates appearing for the chief minister had contended that the Lokayukta Act empowered the institution to investigate even against the chief minister. The probe need not be transferred to a central agency just because a sitting chief minister is allegedly involved.