Karnataka CM grilled by Lokayukta over allotment of plot to his wife

Bangalore: Summoned by Lokayukta, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday appeared before Mysuru Lokayukta Superintendent of Police TJ Udesh at the Lokayukta office in Mysuru city where he was questioned by the Lokayukta SP for almost one and a half hours (from 10.30 am to 12 noon) in connection with alleged irregularities in 14 plots allotted by Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to his wife BM Parvathi in lieu of her losing 3.16 acres in survey numbers 462 and 464 in Kesare village in Mysuru.

Siddaramaiah belongs to Siddaramanahundi, a village in Mysuru Taluk and represents Varuna Assembly seat in Mysuru district.

However, the timing of Siddaramaiah’s interrogation by Lokayukta raised suspicions among social activist and petitioner Snehamayi Krishna over fair conduct of investigation and he termed the timing as predetermined (as per CM’s directions).

A Mysuru-based activist Snehamayi Krishna has filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking transfer of the investigation into the division of Lokayukta plots to the CBI.

“The timing of interrogation (within a specified time) by Lokayukta raises suspicions about the (honest) functioning of Lokayukta and has provided a solid evidence to urge investigation by Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths,” said the activist.

According to the Chief Minister’s itinerary released by his office on Wednesday, Siddaramaiah arrived in Mysuru city around 10 am and left around 12 noon to campaign for Congress nominee CP Yogeshwar in the Channapatna election battle. meeting in Ramnagar district.

On Monday, Lokayukta summoned the Chief Minister to appear for questioning over the allotment of plots after a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the CM, his wife and brother-in-law, among others. The Lokayukta SP had earlier questioned BM Parvathi, CM’s brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, among others in the same case.

Reacting to the Lokayukta notice, the Chief Minister reached Mysuru city from Bengaluru and appeared before the Lokayukta SP at his office around 10.30 am and left after the interrogation around 12 noon.

After coming out of the Lokayukta office, the Chief Minister told reporters that he had answered the Lokayukta’s questions to him and his statement had been recorded by the investigators.

On the questions regarding the fair functioning of Lokayukta as it comes under the state government, the chief minister said like the CBI, an independent agency under the central government, Lokayukta is also an independent agency at the state level.

He further said that opposition parties have no confidence in the functioning of Lokayukta and that Lokayukta has initiated an investigation on the orders of the Supreme Court. “Did BJP (during their rule) transfer cases to CBI?” the Prime Minister asked.

Besides the Lokayukta investigation, sleuths from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) equivalent to the police FIR against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah accusing him of money laundering.

ED sleuths conducted raids on MUDA office in Mysuru city and persons linked to irregularities plotted allocations by MUDA.

After ED’s ECIR, BM Parvathi, wife of Siddaramaiah, wrote a letter to the Commissioner of Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) stating her decision to voluntarily return the 14 plots allotted to her instead of would lose 3.16 hectares in Kesare.