Setback for Karnataka CM Siddaramiah, HC dismisses plea challenging Governor's sanction for prosecution in MUDA case

Bengaluru: Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed Chief Minister Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the approval given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for conducting investigation against him in the alleged illegalities in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allotting sites to his wife.

In his judgment the single judge bench of Justice Nagaprasanna said that the order of sanction for prosecution does not suffer from non-application of mind by the Governor.

In his petition Siddaramaiah questioned the legality of the sanction granted by the Governor permitting investigation against him under Section 17 A of the Prevention of Corruption Act and prosecution under Section 218 of Bharatiya Nagarik Surakha Sanhita, 2023.

Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot granted sanction on August 17 on the applications filed by two Bengaluru- based social activists Pradeep Kumar SP and TJ Abraham and Mysuru-based social activist Snehamayi Krishna.

It is alleged that MUDA illegally allotted 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife in the prime location of Mysuru city. The High Court, in its interim order passed on August 19, had granted a temporary relief to Siddaramaiah by directing a special court in Bengaluru to defer further proceedings and not to take any precipitative action pursuant to the sanction granted by the Governor.

On August 31, the office of the Karantaka Governor told the high court in the state that the sanction granted to prosecute Karnataka Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah in the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam was done after "application of mind."

The state unit of the BJP welcomed the verdict and demanded that Siddaramiah resign as CM.

"Satyameva Jayate!! It is welcome that the High Court has given permission for the prosecution against the CM Siddaramiah who had illegally grabbed the Dalits' land and made the sites that should have belonged to the poor in his name. Congress leaders resorted to low-level politics to cover up their universe of corruption. But the court upheld the Governor's move and reiterated that corruption has no place in India. If Siddaramaiah has any respect for the law of this land, for the constitution, for the court, he should not continue his corruption and bow down to the court's decision and resign from the post of CM immediately," the BJP state unit posted on X.