‘No evidence’ against Siddaramaiah, his wife in land scam case: Lokayukta Police
The final investigation report has been submitted to the Karnataka High Court, said the state’s anti-corruption ombudsman.
The Lokayukta Police said on Wednesday that it had found “no evidence” against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi and others accused in the Mysore Urban Development Authority scam case, reported The Indian Express.
The investigating officers told Mysuru-based social activist Snehamayi Krishna, the complainant in the matter, that their final report had been submitted to the Karnataka High Court, according to PTI.
The alleged scam pertains to the allotment of 14 high-value housing sites in Mysuru’s Vijaynagar area to Parvathi in 2021 by the Mysore Urban Development Authority under a state government scheme.
This was allegedly done in exchange for 3.1 acres of land that Parvathi owned in another part of the city. The land was allegedly illegally acquired from Dalit families.
On September 25, a special court in Bengaluru ordered a Lokayukta police investigation against Siddaramaiah after the Karnataka High Court upheld the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute him.
On September 27, the Lokayukta police registered a first information report against Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and a person named Devaraju.
Swamy had reportedly purchased the land in question from Devaraju and gifted it to Parvathi.
The High Court on December 19 restrained the Lokayukta Police from conducting any further investigation against the chief minister related to the case. It also deferred the filing of the Lokayukta’s report.
On January 15, the High Court lifted the interim stay.
The Lokayukta Police stated on Wednesday that further investigation would be conducted into allegations that the Mysore Urban Development Authority provided compensatory plots in the ratio of 50:50 from 2016 to 2024, and that an additional report would be submitted to the High Court.
On October 1, Parvathi offered to return the 14 plots in question. This came after the Enforcement Directorate booked Siddaramaiah under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act in connection with the alleged scam.
