Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Feb 20: Reacting to the Karnataka Lokayukta’s clean chit to chief minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, the state BJP insisted that only a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe could uncover the truth.
Speaking to the media in Bengaluru on February 19, leader of the opposition R Ashoka alleged that the clean chit was part of a conspiracy to cover up the case.
"Police officers seeking transfers and promotions have given this clean chit in return. The truth can only come out through a CBI investigation. The Lokayukta report conveniently blames officers while portraying CM Siddaramaiah’s family as innocent. This is not just a clean chit; the officers have washed away their offences," he said.
Questioning the chief minister’s legal expenses, Ashoka remarked, "If there was nothing wrong in the case, why did Siddaramaiah hire expensive, high-profile advocates? The case could have been fought by local lawyers. This is a pre-planned report. If he was not guilty, why were 14 sites returned? The Lokayukta claims that A1 (Siddaramaiah), A2 (his wife B M Parvathi), and A3 (his brother-in-law Mallikarjunaswamy) are not guilty."
Accusing the chief minister of being complicit in the land scam, he added, "The layout and land transfer are part of a scam, yet the Lokayukta claims ignorance. Siddaramaiah is no fool to get caught directly in the scandal—he has not made a single call or written a letter."
He further alleged that even Congress leaders were unsettled by the Lokayukta report. "Those who aspired to become chief minister have lost sleep over this. Their dreams have been shattered. We are organising a meeting in Bengaluru on Thursday to discuss the MUDA case," he stated.
Meanwhile, leader of the opposition in the legislative council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy also called for a CBI probe.
"The Congress' opposition to a CBI investigation is surprising. What about the CBI probes conducted during Congress rule? Did they misuse the agency?" he questioned.
He reiterated the BJP’s stance on continuing its fight against the MUDA case. "We will discuss within the party how to pursue the matter legally and decide our next course of action. We marched from Bengaluru to Mysuru, Siddaramaiah's hometown, demanding justice. Initially, he claimed he had no connection to the MUDA case. Later, he returned 14 sites, and now the Lokayukta has given him a clean chit. Where is the justice in this? This outcome was expected," he said.
Narayanaswamy maintained that unless the case was handed over to the CBI, the truth would not emerge.
"Siddaramaiah even went to court to prevent a CBI probe. He hired top legal experts and spent huge sums to fight the investigation. He should have resigned when the allegations surfaced. This case has been systematically buried," he alleged.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka Lokayukta has issued a clean chit to Siddaramaiah and his family members in the MUDA land case. The decision was conveyed in a notice to the petitioner, Snehamayi Krishna, on Wednesday. The Lokayukta has instructed him to approach the magistrate within a week if he wishes to oppose the findings.