Karnataka Governor Thawarchand Gehlot has approved three private complaints seeking an investigation into Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The complaints involve a 2021 land deal where Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi B M, received 14 housing sites in Mysuru in exchange for 3.16 acres of land acquired from her. This land deal occurred during the BJP’s tenure in Karnataka.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah

In a statement released on August 16, Gehlot said, “I hereby accord sanction against Chief Minister Sri Siddaramaiah under Section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and Section 218 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 for the commission of the alleged offences as mentioned in the petitions.” He emphasized the need for a fair investigation, noting that the allegations and evidence suggest possible offences.

The Karnataka government plans to challenge the governor’s decision. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the move, calling it unconstitutional. “He (the governor) has no authority, he has no jurisdiction, it is totally unconstitutional,” Siddaramaiah said, promising to fight the decision in court.

The complainants—anti-corruption activists TJ Abraham, Snehamayi Krishna, and Pradeep Kumar—had sought permission from the governor to file private complaints against Siddaramaiah. They allege that Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law, BM Mallikarjun, acquired land improperly and then exchanged it for housing sites under a scheme managed by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).

State Industries Minister MB Patil accused the governor of political bias, claiming that the decision targets Siddaramaiah unfairly. Patil also pointed out that similar requests against other political figures have not been addressed by the governor.

Congress spokesperson Ramesh Babu plans to contest the sanction order, citing a 2015 Karnataka High Court ruling that rejected a similar request for former BJP CM BS Yediyurappa, emphasizing that a thorough investigation is necessary before granting such sanctions.

”When the complaints were filed against the CM on July 26, the chief secretary provided all the The governor’s sanction also expressed concerns about the Congress government’s dual investigations into the MUDA case, suggesting that the multiple probes could indicate potential issues. Gehlot remarked, “It is a well settled legal principle that the person against whom allegations are made, should not be empowered to decide the course of action”.

MT

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