BJP Claims Siddaramaiah Received 'Bogus Clean Chit' in MUDA Case
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Synopsis
In a bold response to the Karnataka Lokayukta's clean chit to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the MUDA land scam, BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra has labeled it a 'fake clean chit' and raised questions about the legitimacy of the investigation.
Key Takeaways
- BJP claims the Lokayukta's clean chit to Siddaramaiah is fraudulent.
- Vijayendra emphasizes the questionable investigation process.
- Questions raised about the return of 14 sites by Siddaramaiah.
- Calls for a CBI investigation into the matter.
- Pressure on Lokayukta to grant a clean chit is highlighted.
Bengaluru, Feb 20 (NationPress) Responding vigorously to the clean chit provided by the Karnataka Lokayukta to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah regarding the MUDA land scam, B.Y. Vijayendra, the BJP president in Karnataka, asserted that the senior Congress figure has received a "fake clean chit".
In a conversation with IANS at the BJP headquarters on Thursday, Vijayendra remarked, "The clean chit awarded to CM Siddaramaiah’s family is fraudulent. The officers appointed by CM Siddaramaiah conducted the inquiry, thus little could be anticipated from it. The party will strategize on how to proceed from here."
“The clean chit from the Lokayukta to CM Siddaramaiah in the MUDA scandal was anticipated. As previously noted, during the investigation, members of the Chief Minister’s family visited the Lokayukta office at odd hours, indicating a close relationship with the office. This highlights the questionable nature of the investigation led by the Lokayukta. Therefore, it is not surprising that CM Siddaramaiah has received a clean chit in the Rs 5,000 crore MUDA scandal. It’s a fake clean chit.
Vijayendra pointed out that CM Siddaramaiah had previously claimed there was no scam and stressed that he had not acquired sites unlawfully.
"We initiated a padyatra from Bengaluru to Mysuru, his hometown. Fearing political repercussions, he hastily communicated with MUDA, declaring his intent to return the 14 allotted sites," he stated.
“My inquiry for CM Siddaramaiah today is - if neither he nor his family acquired sites unlawfully, why return them? If the Lokayukta has cleared him, does that imply returning stolen property absolves a thief? CM Siddaramaiah and the media must clarify this."
"We are not surprised by this clean chit. I pose a question to CM Siddaramaiah—if he initially asserted that the 14 sites allocated to his family were legitimate, why did he return them to MUDA? He needs to address this," he continued.
The BJP leader pondered why, if the Karnataka CM acknowledged that the sites were given unlawfully, the Lokayukta granted him a clean chit.
"When the Chief Minister selects officers to probe allegations against him, what different outcome can be anticipated? We will deliberate on our future steps,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, the Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, remarked to IANS, "Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is in charge of Lokayukta officers. How can these officers investigate and penalize their own superior? This case should be transferred to the CBI."
"A team of IAS officials was established to examine this matter, which was never dissolved. Likewise, an SIT was formed, and that too remained intact. The court mandated the Lokayukta investigation, yet the police personnel within the Lokayukta answer ultimately to the Chief Minister."
Narayanaswamy further questioned: "Why were the 14 sites assigned to the Chief Minister’s family surrendered? What does returning those sites signify? He recognized they were obtained illegally. The land was initially acquired by MUDA for a layout, yet they purchased it and sought alternative sites."
“There was evident pressure on the Lokayukta to issue a clean chit. If CM Siddaramaiah is courageous, let him confront a CBI investigation or resign from his position. We are determined to challenge this, and a statewide campaign will be launched across Karnataka,” he declared.
The Karnataka Lokayukta, which is investigating the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, submitted an 11,000-page closure report to the Special Court for MLAs and MPs in Bengaluru on Thursday.
Mysuru Lokayukta SP, T.J. Udesh, presented the report to the court a day after the Karnataka Lokayukta, which investigated the matter, granted a clean chit to CM Siddaramaiah and the other accused involved.
Sources indicate that the Lokayukta has filed a closure report regarding the case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife B.M. Parvathi (Accused No. 2), Mallikarjunswamy, Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law (Accused No. 3), and landowner J. Devaraju (Accused No. 4).
