Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah moves HC against Governor's nod to graft probe

Bengaluru: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has filed a plea in the High Court, challenging Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot's decision to grant sanction for his prosecution in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

A High Court bench headed by Justice Hemant Chandangoudar is likely to take up the Chief Minister's plea, pending the Chief Justice's approval.

The plea comes as the Chief Minister faces mounting pressure from Opposition parties and social activists over the alleged irregularities in land allocation by MUDA. Siddaramaiah has denied any wrongdoing.

On August 17, the Governor granted the sanction for prosecution of the Chief Minister over the alleged irregularities in land allocation by MUDA.

The controversy began when social activists, including T J Abraham, Snehamai Krishna from Mysore, and Pradeep Kumar SP from Bangalore, sought the Governor's approval to prosecute Siddaramaiah.

Their allegations center around the allocation of around 14 plots of land in Mysuru, which they claim were wrongfully awarded to the Chief Minister's wife.

According to reports, the land in question was allegedly meant for members of the Dalit community but was fraudulently transferred using forged documents, leading to a significant financial loss estimated in the thousands of crores.

The Chief Minister's brother-in-law Malikarjuna Swamy Devaraj is also allegedly involved in the scam.

The case has become a significant political flashpoint in Karnataka, with both the ruling Congress and the Opposition gearing up for a prolonged battle.