Karnataka: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has demanded that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah should step down immediately after Enforcement Directorate (ED) attached as many as 142 properties in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case against the the CM, and others.
The investigation agency said on Friday that it has provisionally attached 142 immovable properties having market value of about ₹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 BY Vijayendra said in a post on X.
The Shikaripura MLA called it a major victory in the fight against the MUDA site allotment scam.
‘Political influence’
“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 in lieu of 3 Acres 16 Guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for ₹ 3,24,700. The compensation in the form of 14 sites at posh locality is worth ₹56 Crore (approx),” the ED said in its statement on Friday
The role of former MUDA commissioner DB 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.
The scam alleges MUDA of fraudulently allotting sites to Siddaramaiah’s wife. This development comes days after Governor Gehlot issued a “show-cause notice” to CM Siddaramaiah. The notice issued on July last year demanded response from the CM within seven days over refrainment from prosecution.
The BJP leader said after the ED’s Friday action 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”.
If CM Siddaramaiah values the integrity of his office, he must step down immediately and allow an impartial probe to proceed.
“The ED’s findings not only validate our persistent fight against corruption but also proves that there is more to this than what meets the eyes. This is also a big slap on those who were quick to deride our campaign against corruption!” the BJP state chief said.
Opposition parties in the Congress-ruled Karnataka allege that the Chief Minister usurped lands that belonged to the Dalit community and suggested that the scam is worth ₹3,000 crore.
