MUDA ‘scam’: Activist claims CM’s signs on papers given to Lokayukta, Guv ‘fake’
In the complaint, Snehamayi Krishna has argued that while Siddaramaiah usually signs in Kannada, the documents concerned have his signature in English
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who is already facing the heat over the alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land-allotment scam, has now landed in another trouble.
Social activist Snehamayi Krishna has lodged a fresh complaint with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, alleging that at least two documents submitted by Siddaramaiah in relation to the MUDA scam allegations have fake signatures. The activist has urged the Governor to have the matter investigated by the Lokayukta as well.
Question over signature
In the complaint filed on Saturday (August 24), Snehamayi Krishna — one of the activists who filed the original petitions for the prosecution of Siddaramaiah over the alleged MUDA scam — argued that while Siddaramaiah usually signs in Kannada, the documents concerned have his signature in English.
“It is normal for the chief minister to sign in Kannada. I have noticed that many government documents have his signatures in Kannada. However, the letter to the governor regarding the MUDA scam and the certificate of property details submitted to the Lokayukta have his signature in English. It was a copy and someone else signed it,” the activist stated in the complaint.
“Respect for the constitutional post should be observed and maintained,” Snehamayi Krishna added. He said he had submitted six documents along with the complaint.
The complaint
Besides Snehamayi Krishna, activists TJ Abraham and Pradeep Kumar had also filed the petition for the prosecution of Siddaramaiah by Lokayukta, which Karnataka Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot approved. However, the Karnataka High Court has directed the trial court to postpone the proceedings.
The controversy stemmed from the allocation of compensatory land parcels to Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvathi during his previous term as the chief minister of Karnataka, from 2014. The activists have alleged that the allotment of 14 premium sites in Mysuru to Parvathi as compensation for acquired land was unlawful and caused losses worth Rs 45 crore to the state treasury.
(This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka)