MUDA scam: I am confident of getting justice, case against me is ‘politically motivated’, says K’taka CM
Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that he is confident of getting justice by the judiciary in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.
CM Siddaramaiah is the accused number one and his wife B.M. Parvathi is named as the second accused in the case.
The Dharwad bench of Karnataka High Court has reserved the matter for judgment in the petition seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the MUDA case.
Answering a query on whether he has any concerns over the development, Siddaramaiah said, “Why should I be concerned? How will I know what will be the verdict by the judge? Why should I be worried? I have faith that I will get justice.”
Asked about the stay on the notice issued to his wife Parvathi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the Chief Minister said, “The court has stayed the notice issued by the ED. The judge has questioned the ED on what is the hurry in this regard. The court had further observed that the investigation is ongoing and the matter is being reserved for judgment on whether to hand over the case to the CBI. The court had said that the hurry in this regard at this stage is inappropriate.”
Answering a query on whether the issue of notice by the ED is politically motivated, he said, “Is it not? The entire MUDA case itself is politically motivated.”
The Dharwad bench of Karnataka High Court, headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, on Monday stayed the summons issued by the ED to Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah’s wife, B.M. Parvathi, and State Urban Development Minister, Byrathi Suresh, in connection with the MUDA land scam.
The bench questioned the urgency of the ED’s actions, asking, “What is the tearing hurry?” while passing the order.
Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, who has been named as the second accused in the case, was asked to appear before the ED on Tuesday (January 28).
Minister Byrathi Suresh, a close confidant of the CM, was scheduled to appear before ED officers on Monday.
Both Parvathi and Suresh had separately approached the court, seeking relief and requesting a stay on the ED summons.
The High Court granted a stay on the ED’s summons until February 10, pending the next hearing in the case.
The Dharwad bench of the Karnataka High Court, headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, had reserved its judgment on Monday regarding the petition seeking an investigation by the CBI into the MUDA scam. This decision followed the conclusion of arguments and counterarguments in the case.
It has been alleged that Siddaramaiah used his political influence to secure compensation for 14 sites in the name of his wife in exchange for 3 acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by the MUDA.
The petitioner, Snehamayi Krishna, objected to the ongoing probe by the Karnataka Lokayukta and sought a CBI investigation into the scam.
While reserving the matter for judgment, the bench also directed the Karnataka Lokayukta to continue its investigation into the MUDA scam and to submit its further report on the day of the judgment.
