'Will Consult Legal Experts': CM Siddaramaiah after Karnataka HC Dismisses His Plea Against Guv's Probe Nod

The Karnataka HC has upheld the Governor's decision to allow an investigation into CM Siddaramaiah concerning site allotment issues, dismissing his petition in a significant legal development. Reacting to this, the chief minister said that would seek legal advice and continue his fight against the vengeance politics of JD(S) and BJP.

Bengaluru:Reacting to the Karnataka High Court order dismissing his petition in the site allotment case, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said that he would consult legal experts to seek advice whether such a probe would be allowed under law. He said that he believed in the Constitution and that he would not hesitate to face any investigation in the case. He asserted that he would continue his fight against the politics of vengeance by the JD(S) and the BJP. The truth will ultimately prevail in this case, he said.

Earlier today, the High Court dismissed CM Siddaramaih's petition challenging the Governor's approval for an investigation against him in the site allotment case, which was seen as a setback for him. The HC issued the order after the Chief Minister had challenged the approval given by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for an investigation against him in the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in a prime locality.

After completing the hearings on the petition in six sittings from August 19, the single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna on September 12 reserved its verdict. It had also extended its August 19 interim order directing the special court for people's representatives that was slated to hear complaints against him in the case, to defer its proceedings till the disposal of the petition.

"The facts narrated in the petition would undoubtedly require investigation, in the teeth of the fact that the beneficiary of all these acts is not anybody outside but the family of the petitioner. The petition stands dismissed," Justice Nagaprasanna ruled.

He said, "interim order of any kind subsisting today shall stand dissolved." The Governor on August 16 accorded sanction 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 submitted to him by complainants Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna.

On August 19, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order. In the petition, the Chief Minister submitted that the sanction order was issued without due application of mind, in violation of statutory mandates, and contrary to constitutional principles, including the advice of the Council of Ministers, which is binding under Article 163 of the Constitution of India.

Siddaramaiah sought quashing of the Governor's order contending that his decision is legally unsustainable, procedurally flawed, and motivated by extraneous considerations.

While noted lawyer Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Prof. Ravivarma Kumar had appeared for Siddaramaiah, Solicitor-General of India Tushar Mehta represented the office of the Governor. Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty also made his submissions.

Senior Advocates Maninder Singh, Prabhuling K Navadgi, Lakshmi Iyengar, Ranganath Reddy, K G Raghavan, among others made submissions on behalf of the complainants (respondents) who had sought the sanction for investigation against Siddaramaiah.

In the MUDA site allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife B M Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout. Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.

It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk. (With agency inputs)