High Court Division Bench to hear CM Siddaramaiah’s appeal in September

Bengaluru: The Special Court for Elected Representatives on Tuesday (July 15) heard a private complaint involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife B.M. Parvathi, in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam.

Ahead of the hearing, the Mysuru Lokayukta Superintendent of Police (SP),the Investigation Officer of the case, submitted a progress report to the Court. However, complainant Snehamayi Krishna expressed dissatisfaction, alleging that crucial documents he had submitted had not been considered during the investigation.

He objected to the filing of a ‘B Report’ — a closure report — by the Lokayukta Police in favour of CM Siddaramaiah and his wife.

Snehamayi Krishna urged the Court to record his objections and the documents be duly examined. The Special Public Prosecutor representing the Lokayukta told the Court that all submitted materials had, in fact, been reviewed. The Court has directed the Lokayukta to file a detailed status report on the investigation by July 28.

A Single Judge Bench of the High Court (HC) had ordered the Lokayukta to investigate into the MUDA scam, naming CM Siddaramaiah. Subsequently, the Mysuru Lokayukta cops filed a ‘B Report’ before the Court, stating that no evidence was found against the CM, his wife, associates, or the landowners accused of irregularities.

High Court hearing

The Karnataka HC will hear a batch of appeals in September, including one filed by CM Siddaramaiah, challenging a Single-Judge Bench order that upheld the Governor’s sanction for investigation and prosecution in the MUDA scam. A Division Bench comprising Justice V.M. Kameshwar Rao and Justice C.M. Joshi re-issued notices to unserved respondents in the appeals and directed that the matter be listed for hearing in September.

The Single-Judge order dated Sept. 24, 2024, had dismissed Siddaramaiah’s plea challenging the Governor’s sanction granted under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), observing that complainants were justified in                 seeking such sanction.

The Court had held that the Governor, under exceptional circumstances, could act independently without the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.

In the same batch, the Division Bench will also hear an appeal by Snehamayi Krishna, who challenged the Single Judge’s refusal to transfer the investigation from the Karnataka Lokayukta to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).