Siddaramaiah instructed MUDA not to approve allotment of 14 sites to his wife, says D. Dhruvakumar, former MUDA Chairman
Mysuru: The Lokayukta investigation into the MUDA site scam has reached a crucial phase, investigating key players involved in the case. A fresh notice has been issued to J. Devaraju, the fourth accused, summoning him for a second round of questioning tomorrow.
Devaraju, the original owner of the 3.16-acre land at Survey No. 464 in Kesare, sold the property to B.M. Mallikarjunaswamy, brother-in-law of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. This transaction paved the way for CM’s wife, B.M. Parvathi, to acquire 14 premium sites in Vijayanagar 3rd and 4th Stages under MUDA’s controversial 50:50 scheme.
Accused No. 4 Devaraju had earlier appeared before the Lokayukta Police for questioning on Oct. 10, 2024, alongside Mallikarjunaswamy, who is listed as Accused No. 3 in the case.
Meanwhile, notices have also been issued to former MUDA Commissioner P.S. Kantharaju and former MUDA Chairman D. Dhruvakumar, a close associate of CM Siddaramaiah. Responding to the notice, Dhruvakumar appeared before the Lokayukta Police this morning.
Speaking to reporters outside the Lokayukta Office, Dhruvakumar distanced himself from the controversial allotments.
“During my tenure as MUDA Chairman, a proposal to allot 14 sites to Parvathi was brought up. However, when we sought CM Siddaramaiah’s permission, he explicitly instructed us not to approve the allotment, as it would tarnish his reputation and moreover, he was holding the post of the Chief Minister,” Dhruvakumar stated.
The former MUDA Chairman further clarified that, “Following Siddaramaiah’s directive, the matter was kept pending. I am unaware of the developments with regard to the 14 sites that occurred after my tenure. It is possible that the allotment was approved during my successors’ term. I have no knowledge about this.”
This post was published on November 19, 2024 6:44 pm