Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah faces prosecution in MUDA land scam case; What is the scam about?

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is poised to face prosecution in connection with the MUDA land scam case. The approval for legal action has been granted by Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot, following a complaint lodged by a prominent RTI activist.

The Chief Minister's Office (CMO) has officially acknowledged receipt of the communication regarding the prosecution. This development marks a significant turn in the ongoing investigation into the alleged land scam, which has drawn considerable public and media attention. 

Siddaramaiah is expected to challenge the Governor's permission for his prosecution in court. The Chief Minister has staunchly denied the charges leveled against him, particularly those linked to accusations involving his wife, Parvathi Siddaramaiah.

What is controversy?

The allegations centre around the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and claims of malpractices surrounding land allotments.

It is alleged that Parvathi Siddaramaiah benefited from irregularities when MUDA acquired her 3-acre plot in Kesare village, Mysuru, in 2021, seemingly in exchange for allocations of more valuable plots in the upscale Vijayanagar area of Mysuru. Critics assert that the market value of these new plots far exceeds that of the land she originally owned.

Abraham, the President of the Karnataka Anti-Graft and Environmental Forum, has formally complained that Siddaramaiah failed to disclose his wife’s land ownership in his 2023 Assembly election affidavit.

The complaint alleges that the omission was made "with his absolute knowledge and clearly with some ulterior motives," and calls for legal action against the Chief Minister under various sections of the Representation of the Peoples Act, 1950.

On July 26, the Governor issued a show cause notice to Siddaramaiah, seeking an explanation regarding the allegations. Prior to this, the Governor had requested information from the Chief Secretary concerning the matter.

In early August, Abraham submitted a memorandum to the Commissioner of MUDA, demanding the cancellation of the compensatory sites allotted to Parvathi, asserting that "illegal manipulations and corrupt steps were taken" during the land allocation process.

Further complicating the situation, activist Snehamayi Krishna filed a private criminal complaint against Siddaramaiah, claiming misuse of power and document forgery related to the MUDA land allocations. This complaint, too, requires the Governor's approval for prosecution.

Despite the mounting allegations and protests from opposition parties, including the BJP and JD(S), Siddaramaiah maintains his innocence, vowing to battle the claims both legally and politically. He asserts that the land allocation to his wife was conducted following all legal procedures.