Bengaluru, Nov 4 (IANS): In a significant development in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam matter involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court has listed the petition demanding the probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged irregularities for hearing on November 5 (Tuesday).
The bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna will take up the petition submitted by activist Snehamayi Krishna at 10.30 a.m.
RTI activist Snehamayi Krisha, one of the petitioners in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on September 27 submitted a petition before the High Court demanding CBI probe against the senior Congress leader.
Krishna had stated in his petition that he does not think Lokayukta can ensure a transparent probe.
He said that the Lokayukta institution comes under the state government, officers are designated by the government. Therefore, he was not confident of a transparent and unbiased investigation into the case.
A special court in Karnataka directed Lokayukta to conduct an investigation against CM Siddaramaiah over alleged irregularities in the MUDA recently.
The Lokayukta has lodged the FIR against CM Siddaramaiah and others and is investigating the case. The court had asked the Lokayukta to submit a report in three months.
Earlier on Monday, in a major development, the Karnataka Lokayukta probing the land scam matter served notice to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to appear on November 6 for questioning in connection with the alleged irregularities.
CM Siddaramaiah, who has been named as first accused in the land scam case, has been asked to be present at the Mysuru Lokayukta office on November 6 (Wednesday), sources confirmed on Monday.
The Mysuru Lokayukta had earlier grilled CM Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathy, the second accused in the scam, for hours.
The Lokayukta sleuths had also probed the third accused - CM Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law Mallikarjunaswamy, and the fourth accused - land owner J. Devaraju.
The development is seen as a setback for CM Siddaramaiah who is busy campaigning for the upcoming bypolls. Currently, he is camping in Shiggaon constituency.