ED Action In MUDA Scam: BJP Demands Siddaramaiah To Step Down Immediately

ED accused Siddaramaiah of using political influence to secure compensation for 14 sites in his wife's name instead of 3 acres acquired by MUDA.

Bengaluru:BJP demanded Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday to step down immediately, in the backdrop of ED attaching 142 MUDA units of immovable assets.

Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday said it has provisionally attached 142 immovable properties having a market value of about Rs 300 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with the case against Siddaramaiah and others.

The ED said the attached properties are registered in the name of various individuals who are working as real-estate businessmen and agents.

"If CM @siddaramaiah values the integrity of his office, he must step down immediately and allow an impartial probe to proceed. The people of Karnataka deserve transparency, accountability, and justice," the BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said in a post on 'X'.

The Shikaripura MLA called it a major victory in the fight against the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam.

Explaining the MUDA scam, the ED said, "It is alleged that Siddaramaiah has used his political influence to get compensation of 14 sites (plots) in the name of his wife Smt B M Parvathi instead of 3 Acres 16 Guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for Rs 3,24,700. The compensation in the form of 14 sites at posh locality is worth Rs 56 Crore (approx)."

The role of former MUDA commissioner D B Natesh has emerged as instrumental in the illegal allotment of compensation sites to Parvathi, the ED added. Vijayendra charged that the ED's investigation has exposed significant corruption involving Siddaramaiah, who allegedly used his political influence to illegally allocate sites in the name of his wife.

"The allocation of sites to 'benamis' and dummies of influential persons further highlights the systemic corruption at play," he alleged. When Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sanctioned the prosecution of Siddaramaiah, "the Congress spared no effort in insulting and undermining the constitutional authority of Governor", the BJP state chief said.

He pointed out that the Karnataka High Court had also upheld the Governor's decision, emphasising that the allegations against the Chief Minister's family warranted deeper investigation.

Hailing the ED, Vijayendra said the investigation agency "thwarted any malicious attempt by CM Siddaramaiah to subvert the investigation by misusing the government machinery".

The BJP leader also said that the BJP and its ally JD(S) have been relentless in the protests, both within and outside the assembly, against "this blatant misuse of power by CM & his protegees".

In this context, Vijayendra recalled how the BJP and the JD(S) carried out a 'Mysuru Chalo' march demanding Siddaramaiah's resignation after the Lokayukta police registered an FIR in the MUDA scam.

"The ED's findings not only validate our persistent fight against corruption but also prove that there is more to this than what meets the eye. This is also a big slap on those who were quick to deride our campaign against corruption!" the BJP state chief said.

According to him, ED's revelation is merely the tip of the iceberg. Stating that thousands of crores in public money have been misappropriated in this scam, Vijayendra said a comprehensive CBI investigation is required to fully uncover the scandal.