Bengaluru: On Wednesday, September 25, a Special Court for MLAs and MPs issued a directive for the Mysuru Lokayukta to initiate a case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam. The court's order compels the Lokayukta police to register the case under Section 156 (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), addressing multiple offenses under various Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections and the Prevention of Corruption Act.
The court has mandated that the Superintendent of Police at Karnataka Lokayukta, Mysuru, undertake an investigation and file a report as stipulated under Section 173 of the CrPC within three months. Judge Santhosh Gajanana Bhat emphasized the need for a thorough inquiry into offenses related to conspiracy, cheating, and corruption, citing specific sections of the IPC, including 120B, 166, 403, 406, 420, 426, 465, 468, 340, and 351. In addition to IPC violations, the court's order also highlights potential breaches of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, and the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, 1988, among others.
The order specifies that the complaint should be registered as a Public Complaint Report (PCR). The case was initiated by complainant Snehamayi Krishna, who named Siddaramaiah as the first accused, with additional allegations against his associate Parvathy, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, and landowner Devaraju. Krishna had previously approached the Lokayukta with his complaint but reported a lack of response from their office.
Following the court's directive, sources indicate that the top officials of the Lokayukta convened a meeting at their headquarters in Bengaluru to determine the next steps. An FIR against Siddaramaiah and the other accused is expected to be lodged soon. The court has scheduled a follow-up hearing for December 24, 2024, to review the progress of the investigation. As the situation unfolds, all eyes will be on the Lokayukta's actions and the implications it may have for the Karnataka Chief Minister and his associates.