Bengaluru: A special court in Bengaluru has further adjourned its decision on the petition of Enforcement Directorate (ED) challenging the Lokayukta's "B Report" in the controversial land allotment case involving Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah from MUDA. It has ordered the Lokayukta Police to continue the investigation and file a final report before taking any further action.
The case relates to the alleged illegal allotment of 14 prime sites in Mysuru to Siddaramanna's wife, Parvati. These prime sites are in an elite area, and they are supposed to value many times more than the area taken from her by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). It is said to financially cheat the state by as much as 45 crores.
In the 'B Report' of Lokayukta Police, names like Siddaramanna, his wife, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy, and the land seller have been exonerated due to lack of evidence. On the contrary, ED disagree on the finding and called for a deep inquiry on the matter. The court has made it clear that the inquiry has to expand beyond these four personalities implicated in the alleged case.
This case has kicked up a storm since the FIR was lodged by Lokayukta Police on 27 September, the names including the likes of Devaraju, from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy purchased and later transferred land to Parvati. Next hearing has been fixed for 7 May, 2025 which adds another date in the calendar of the long-drawn investigation.
In effect, the Lokayukta is also investigating over 130 others allegedly involved in the scam and the political and legal drama continues to unravel.
[Source Credit: NDTV]
