One-man judicial commission gives clean chit to K'taka CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA case

Bengaluru, Sep 4 A one-man judicial commission headed by P.N. Desai has given clean chit to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his family members in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case.

Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs H.K. Patil has made the announcement in this regard after the Cabinet meeting.

Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Thursday, Minister Patil stated: "A one-man commission headed by Justice P.N. Desai had been constituted, which has submitted its report in two parts. It has clarified that the allegations made against the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his family members are baseless in connection with the MUDA case."

The report has, however, recommended several actions against some officials. The government has accepted this report, the minister stated.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been named as the prime accused in the MUDA case. His wife, Parvati, is the second accused, and his brother-in-law, Mallikarjunaswamy, is the third. The land owner J. Devaraju is named as fourth accused.

The Karnataka Lokayukta had earlier submitted a closure report citing a lack of evidence against them.

MUDA scam involves alleged illegal allotment of 14 sites to CM Siddaramaiah’s family. The matter is probed by the Karnataka Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED). Activist Snehamayi Krishna has also submitted a petition in the High Court seeking the CBI probe and CM Siddaramaiah has filed a petition seeking quashing of proceedings against him in the MUDA case.

The findings of the report stated: "In respect of utilisation of de-notified land in survey number 464 of Kesare village, though the land owner insisted on alternative un-developed land as compensation and although the resolution was also passed in 2017, the same has not been implemented. Subsequently, in 2022, sites were allotted in the ratio of 50:50 as per one of the modes of payment adopted in the same manner as allotted to others."

"The allotment of sites as compensation to the land owners whose lands were de-notified but utilized by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) pertaining to lands in survey number 115/22 and 115/42 of Kergalli village and the land in survey number 464 of Kesare village cannot be said to be illegal.

"Therefore, the methods followed by the authority for compensating in the form of sites in case of utilization of de-notified lands cannot be said unlawful since MUDA does not have any title and legal possession over de-notified land," the report stated.

"The MUDA commissioners have not bothered about formation of layout and allotment of sites in accordance with KUDA Act. Commissioners working between 2020 and 2024 have arbitrarily and illegally allotted sites at their whims and fancies. Alternative site allotment were in contravention of Rule 16 of 1991 rules. There appears to be a scam in providing alternative sites with untenable reasons," the report mentioned.

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