Renewed spotlight on site allotment process, controversial closure report

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has issued urgent notices to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife B.M. Parvathi, his brother-in-law Mallikarjunaswamy, land owner Devaraj, the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Karnataka Lokayukta and others.

The notices have been issued in connection with a petition challenging the acceptance of the Lokayukta’s ‘B-report’ in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) 50:50 site allotment case.

Hearing a petition filed by Mysuru-based RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna yesterday, Justice S. Sunil Dutt Yadav took note of the challenge to the closure report and directed that notices be issued to all respondents. The case has been posted for further hearing after the respondents file their replies.

Legal and procedural lapses

The petitioner has contended that the ‘B-report,’ which effectively closes the case citing lack of prosecutable evidence, suffers from serious legal and procedural lapses. According to the plea, key aspects of the case were either overlooked or inadequately examined during the investigation conducted by the Mysuru Lokayukta.

Seeking the Court’s intervention, the petition has urged that the ‘B-report’ be set aside and a fresh, independent investigation be ordered, preferably by an agency such as the Enforcement Directorate or another competent authority, to ensure transparency and accountability.

Detailed judicial examination

The controversy relates to alleged irregularities in the allotment of sites by the MUDA, now renamed as Mysuru Development Authority (MDA). The case has drawn significant political attention due to the alleged links of individuals associated with the ruling establishment.

Legal observers noted that the High Court’s decision to issue notices to multiple agencies and high-profile individuals indicates that the matter has moved beyond preliminary scrutiny and will undergo detailed judicial examination.

With the Court stepping in, the developments are expected to intensify scrutiny of the MUDA site allotment process, even as the respondents prepare to defend the Lokayukta’s findings in the coming hearings.

It may be recalled that RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna had earlier filed a private complaint before the Special Court for Public Representatives in Bengaluru against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife B.M. Parvathi, Mysuru Deputy Commissioner, Tahsildar, Sub-Registrar and other officials. The complaint alleged that documents were forged to claim compensation from MUDA.

According to the complaint, the CM, his wife and certain officials colluded to acquire 3.16 acres of land at Devanur-Kesare and allegedly created fake documents. The same land was later used to obtain 14 prime sites in Vijayanagar’s Third and Fourth Stages in Mysuru under the MUDA’s 50:50 allotment scheme.