MUDA ‘scam’: Siddaramaiah’s wife offers to return sites; BJP calls it ‘admission of guilt’

As Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faces a Lokayukta and an Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe in the MUDA land-allotment case, his wife BM Parvathi has now written to the MUDA commissioner, expressing her willingness to return the contentious 14 sites in Mysuru.

The letter by Parvathi was circulated among reporters by the CMO on the official WhatsApp group late on Monday (September 30) night.

ED registers PMLA case

Significantly, ED officials said earlier in the day that the agency had booked Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, and some others in a money-laundering case linked to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, taking cognisance of a recent state Lokayukta FIR.

A special court exclusively dealing with criminal cases related to former and elected MPs/MLAs had directed the Lokayukta police in Mysuru to initiate an investigation into the matter.

The BJP termed Parvathi’s letter to the MUDA commissioner as an “admission of guilt” and demanded the Karnataka CM’s resignation.

Also read: Siddaramaiah’s elusive wife sparks curiosity, courtesy MUDA ‘scam’ link

Parvathi’s letter

In her letter to the MUDA commissioner, Parvathi said she was allotted the 14 alternative sites in the third and fourth phases of Vijayanagar in Mysuru against the “usage” of her 3 acres and 16 guntas of land in Kesare village under Kasaba Hobli in Mysuru “without even acquiring it”.

“I am willing to return the 14 sites by way of cancelling the sale deed. I want MUDA to acquire these sites. I request you to take steps in this direction at the earliest,” Parvathi said in her letter.

The letter comes against the backdrop of Karnataka Lokayukta police registering a case against Siddaramaiah on the directions of a special court in connection with the land allotment.

Accused in the case

Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, and Devaraju, from whom Swamy had bought the land and gifted it to Parvathi, and others have been named in the FIR registered by the Lokayukta police establishment in Mysuru on September 27.

Taking cognisance of the case, the ED imposed sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book Siddaramaiah in its enforcement case information report (ECIR), the equivalent of a police FIR, according to agency officials.

According to the procedure, the ED is empowered to summon the accused for questioning and even attach their assets during the investigation.

Letter to people

In a separate letter to people in general, Parvathi said Siddaramaiah has lived an unblemished public life and she too led a life not to embarrass him and bring a bad name to him.

She was hurt after the allegations were made with regard to the MUDA sites. She said she had never imagined that the land gifted to her by her brother would lead to so much of controversy.

“I can never tolerate my husband facing unjust allegations. Nothing, including the property, wealth, and house, are more precious to me than the honour and dignity of my husband. Hence, I have decided to return my 14 sites, which are the reason behind the controversy,” she said.

Also read: MUDA ripples: Can BJP unseat Siddaramaiah?

“Political conspiracy”

The CM's wife maintained she has not taken the opinion of Siddaramaiah or her son Yathindra before taking this decision.

Parvathi also said she did not return the site till now because she thought she should fight it out against the political conspiracy against her husband.

She appealed to the opposition parties and media not to drag and tarnish the women from the families of politicians for political reasons.

Admission of guilt: BJP

Responding to the development, the BJP called the letter “an admission of guilt”. “Instead of sending his (Siddaramaiah’s) resignation letter, a redemption letter is being written,” BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said.

He said she has written to the MUDA commissioner expressing her willingness to return the 14 sites that she had been allotted to evade investigation in the case.

“If no wrong was committed, why are you returning (the sites)? That too when the orders of the High Court and special court came, an FIR was registered and ED case also started,” Poonawalla asked.

“A letter of guilt has come. Corruption happened (in MUDA site allocation). Now the letter of redemption won’t work. It’s time for Siddaramaiah to resign. He doesn’t have any moral right to continue as the chief minister,” the BJP spokesperson said.

The MUDA “scam”

In the MUDA site allotment case, it has been alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which the MUDA had “acquired”.

The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout.

Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.

It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land.

Also read: Karnataka: ED files case against Siddaramaiah in MUDA case

CM’s stand

The Karnataka High Court had earlier upheld the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot for a probe against the CM on allegations of illegalities in the allotment of the sites.

Siddaramaiah, 76, had last week asserted he was being targeted in the MUDA issue as the Opposition was “scared” of him.

He has also reiterated he would not resign as he has done no wrong and asserted that he would fight the case legally.

(With agency inputs)