Bengaluru, 19 Sept

Governor has sought a detailed report from the government in Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) allegedly undertaking works worth Rs 387 crore in violation of rules, purportedly on the verbal instruction of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his Varuna constituency and Srirangapatna.

Thaawarchand Gehlot has written to Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh citing detailed representation submitted to him by a complainant in this regard, and terming the allegation as "serious in nature."

The letter comes close on the heels of the Governor according sanction on 16 August for investigation against 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 of Pradeep Kumar S P, T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna, in connection with a MUDA site allotment case.

The Governor said in the letter that a person named PS Nataraj from Mysuru has submitted a detailed representation dated August 27, wherein, he has informed that the MUDA has undertaken works worth Rs 387 crore in violation of section 15 and 25 of the Karnataka Urban Development Authority Act, 1987 on the Chief Minister's oral instruction in Varuna and also in Srirangapatna constituency."

The petitioner has also informed that in spite of non-availability of funds in the Authority, a decision has been taken on the oral instruction, he said, adding, "further, he alleged that by doing this the authority has misused its power and requested to conduct enquiry from CBI."

The High Court on 12 September completed its hearing on Siddaramaiah's petition challenging the legality of Governor Gehlot's approval for investigation against him in the MUDA site allotment case and reserved its orders.

On 19 August, Siddaramaiah moved the High Court challenging the legality of the Governor's order.

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 MUDA 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. Opposition and some activists have also claimed that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land.