Karnataka HC lifts stay on Lokayukta probe into land scam involving CM Siddaramaiah

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday lifted the interim stay it had imposed on investigation by the state’s Lokayukta Police into an alleged land scam involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, reported Bar and Bench.

Allowing the investigation, Justice M Nagaprasanna directed the state’s anti-corruption ombudsman to submit a probe report before the court by January 27.

“But by tomorrow, you submit everything you have collected from December 19, 2024 until now,” said Nagaprasanna.

The alleged scam pertains to the allotment of 14 high-value housing sites in Mysuru’s Vijaynagar area to Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathi, in 2021 by the Mysore Urban Development Authority under a state government scheme.

This was allegedly done in exchange for 3.1 acres of land that Parvathi owned in another part of the city. The land was allegedly illegally acquired from Dalit families.

On September 25, a special court in Bengaluru ordered a Lokayukta police investigation against Siddaramaiah after the Karnataka High Court upheld the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to prosecute him.

On September 27, the Lokayukta police registered a first information report against Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy and a person named Devaraju.

Swamy had reportedly purchased the land in question from Devaraju and gifted it to Parvathi.

The High Court on December 19 restrained the Lokayukta Police from conducting any further investigation against the chief minister in…

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