HC notice to CM on plea for Muda case transfer to CBI

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday issued notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others on a writ petition filed by RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna seeking a direction to transfer the MUDA site allotment case to CBI. Justice M Nagaprasanna, who also issued notice to Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi B M, brother-inlaw Mallikarjuna Swamy, Union of India, the State government, CBI and Lokayukta, directed the Lokayukta to place on record investigation conducted in the case so far. The court posted the next hearing to November 26. Meanwhile, the Lokayukta police have summoned Siddaramaiah, who has been named as accused n u m b e r one in the case, for questioning on November 6.

They had on October 25 questioned his wife, who is the accused number two. The CM is facing allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). Siddaramaiah, his wife, Swamy and Devaraju from whom Swamy had purchased a land and gifted it to Parvathi -- and others have been named in the FIR registered by the Mysuru-located Lokayukta police establishment on September 27.

Swamy and Devaraju have already deposed before the Lokayukta police. Appearing for Krishna, senior Advocate K G Raghavan claimed that investigation being conducted by the Lokayukta police, "in a matter of this kind', does not inspire confidence The Chief Minister on October 24 filed an appeal before the High Court, challenging the decision of a single judge bench in the MUDA site allotment case.