MUDA case: Karnataka High Court reserves verdict in plea for CBI probe after Lokayukta police submits report

The ED has taken up a money laundering probe in connection with the MUDA land dealings and seized 142 properties allotted by the authority, valued at over Rs 300 crore.

The 14 sites — which were given to Parvathi by MUDA as compensation for alleged wrongful acquisition of 3.16 acres of land gifted by her brother — have been returned to the authority by the chief minister’s family following allegations of profiting to the tune of Rs 56 crore in the deal.

After initially filing a complaint of corruption with the state Lokayukta police against Siddaramaiah and his family over the allotment of 14 housing sites during the BJP’s tenure, RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna had sought a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

On Monday, a single-judge bench of the high court was handed a sealed cover containing the Karnataka Lokayukta police’s investigation report into the corruption allegations. After taking the sealed cover on record, Justice Nagaprasanna reserved his order on the plea for CBI probe.

The high court also extended the time for the trial court to receive the Lokayukta police report until the date of the judgment. The court had earlier fixed January 28 as the date for submission of the report to the trial court.

During the arguments on Monday, the high court indicated that it would peruse the report of the Lokayukta police and decide on the plea for a CBI probe.

In its order on Monday, the high court stated, “In the light of the matter, the order of December 19, 2024 which extended the time for the state to file its report to 28.12.25, is now extended till the pronouncement of the judgment.”.

The counsel for Siddaramaiah and others in the matter argued on Monday that the plea for a CBI probe was filed by the activist an hour before the Karnataka Lokayukta police registered an FIR on the directions of a special court. The court was informed that the RTI activist himself had sought a probe by the Lokayukta police or the CBI or any other agency following which the special court ordered a Lokayukta police investigation.

It was argued that the high court bench cannot suo motu decide on the demand for a CBI investigation on the basis of the probe report since the matter falls in the jurisdiction of the special court which ordered the Lokayukta police investigation.

The RTI activist, meanwhile, argued that the Lokayukta police was not investigating the case effectively since it functions under the purview of the state government.

Siddaramaiah has filed an appeal in the high court against a single judge order of September 24, 2024, which facilitated the investigation into the alleged illegalities in the allotment of MUDA sites to his wife. A division bench is due to hear the appeal on March 22.