Mysuru Lokayukta SP directed to produce case diary; hearing posted for Dec. 23

Bengaluru: The Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru on Wednesday pulled up the Mysuru Lokayukta Police for failing to submit the final investigation report in the multi-crore Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, which involves allegations that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah illegally obtained 14 sites from MUDA in the 50:50 ratio scheme.

Despite earlier directions to file the final ‘B-Report’ by Dec. 18, the Lokayukta Police submitted only an interim progress report. Questioning the delay, Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat was told that prosecution sanctions against certain officials were still pending, preventing the submission of the final report.

During the hearing, the Lokayukta Police admitted that the final report was incomplete, with only about half of it prepared so far. The Court adjourned the matter to Dec. 23.

The Court also directed the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to produce the case diary. SPP Venkatesh Arabatti submitted that the report could be filed in a sealed cover if additional time was granted. However, complainant Snehamayi Krishna objected, alleging an attempt to mislead the Court.

10 of 11 cases still pending

Lokayukta Superintendent of Police (SP) T.J. Udesh appeared before the Court and placed a status report detailing the progress of the investigation so far. According to the report, investigations in 10 of the 11 cases arising from the MUDA matter are still pending, while a charge sheet has been prepared only in the 11th case, pertaining to former MUDA Commissioner G.T. Dinesh Kumar.

Udesh informed the Court that prior sanction for prosecution had been sought against certain officials, but the absence of approval from the State Government had stalled the filing of the final report.

Snehamayi Krishna alleged that no meaningful investigation had been conducted and claimed that the accused were being shielded. He further contended that no witnesses had been examined despite specific directions from the Court.

Countering these allegations, the SPP said the State was prepared to submit the final report in a sealed cover and file compact disc (CD) records to substantiate the credibility of the investigation.

Observing that no order could be passed in the absence of a final report, the Court deferred orders on the petitions challenging the Lokayukta B-Report and the clean chit given to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and three others to Dec. 23. The Judge clarified that an order could not be issued on the basis of a partial report.

“Since the investigating agency has not placed any material with respect to further investigation, the Court will have to proceed based on the report already filed before this Court,” the Special Court said while seeking the case diary files.