The Karnataka High Court provided relief to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, by quashing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) summons issued to her in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case. The ED had called her for questioning over alleged irregularities in land dealings, but the court ruled that the summons lacked legal validity. The investigation focuses on potential financial misconduct in MUDA transactions, particularly concerning money laundering. Siddaramaiah and his party have consistently maintained that the probe is politically motivated, making the court’s ruling a setback for the ED’s ongoing investigation.
Earlier, on February 19, the Lokayukta Police stated that there was no evidence against Siddaramaiah, his wife, or others implicated in the MUDA case. This statement followed a 138-day investigation into alleged irregularities in MUDA’s site allotment process. The final report had already been submitted for review, and the Lokayukta’s findings dismissed claims of wrongdoing by the Karnataka CM and his family. The investigation had been initiated based on allegations of improper land allocations.
The inquiry, launched in September 2024 under the direction of a special court for elected representatives in Bengaluru, was led by Mysuru Lokayukta Superintendent of Police TJ Udesh. Over 100 individuals, including government officials, politicians, and retired officers, were questioned, including Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi, and his brother-in-law BM Mallikarjuna Swamy. The special court had earlier directed an FIR against Siddaramaiah and three others following a petition by social activist Snehamayi Krishna. The case, which was permitted for investigation by Governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, involved alleged violations under multiple legal provisions, including the Indian Penal Code, the Prevention of Corruption Act, the Prohibition of Benami Property Transactions Act, and the Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act.
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