MUDA land scam case: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, wife get clean chit from Lokayukta

BENGALURU: The Lokayukta has given a clean chit to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his wife B.M. Parvathi in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam case. The Lokayukta stated that there is no evidence against the accused, including Siddaramaiah. The investigation, led by Police Superintendent T.J. Udesh, culminated in a final report last week after 138 days of scrutiny. The Lokayukta's actions followed a detailed review of the investigation's findings.

The Lokayukta's investigation into the case began in September 2024. More than 100 individuals, including Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi, and his brother-in-law B.M. Mallikarjuna Swamy, were questioned by the Lokayukta, and their statements were recorded. Sources close to the Lokayukta also said that more than 3000 pages of documents related to the disputed site, notification process etc. were examined.

The controversy first arose from allegations that Parvathi had unlawfully acquired land. The complaint claimed that Parvathi's brother had given her 3.16 acres of land, which was then taken over by MUDA in exchange for valuable residential plots in Mysuru. The complaint also alleged that this land acquisition took place during Siddaramaiah’s tenure as Chief Minister in 2014 when Parvathi applied for the land. The land was transferred on January 5, 2022. The complaint further claimed that Siddaramaiah used his influence to secure the land for his wife, causing a loss of Rs 55.8 crore to the government treasury.