MUDA scam: Karnataka Guv grants sanction for prosecution against CM Siddaramiah

Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot on Saturday granted sanction for prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with Mysuru Urban Development Authority MUDA site allotment scamThe Governor has granted sanction for prosecution against the Chief Minister It is based on three petitions filed by T J Abraham Pradeep Kumar and Snehamayi Krishna an senior official at the Raj Bhavan told PTIThe Governors secretariat has written to Pradeep Kumar S P T J Abraham and Snehamayi Krishna about the decision of the component authority on the request of sanction of prosecution against Siddaramaiah under section 17 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1988 and section 218 of Bharithiya Nagarika Suraksha Samhitha 2023 for the commission of alleged offences mentioned in the petitionsA special meeting of the state cabinet has been called at 5 pm today following the Governors decisionAccording to official and Congress sources the Chief Minister will legally fight the prosecution sanction accorded by the Governor reported PTISiddaramaiah has repeatedly said that the Congress government led by him is ready to fight legally and politically in case the Governor rejects the Cabinets advice to withdraw the showcause notice to him and grants permission for prosecution reported PTIBased on a petition filed by advocateactivist T J Abraham Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot had issued a showcause notice on July 26 directing the Chief Minister to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days as to why permission for prosecution should not be granted against himThe Karnataka government had on August 1 strongly advised the Governor to withdraw his showcause notice to the Chief Minister and alleged gross misuse of the Constitutional Office of the Governor reported PTIAddressing reporters after the meeting of the Council of Ministers on August 1 Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar had said the Governor failed to take note of the fact that Abraham comes with criminal antecedents having criminal cases of blackmail and extortion registered against himIn the MUDA scam it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiahs wife 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 reported PTIThe MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 5050 ratio scheme in lieu of 316 acres of her land where MUDA developed a residential layoutUnder 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 layoutsThe BJP leaders have claimed that the MUDA scam is of the magnitude of Rs 4000 crore to Rs 5000 crore reported PTIThe Congress government on July 14 constituted a single member inquiry commission under former High Court Judge Justice P N Desai to probe the MUDA scamThe opposition BJP and JDS held a weeklong padayatre earlier this month from Bengaluru to Mysuru demanding the resignation of Siddaramaiah in connection with the scamWith inputs from PTI