MUDA scam: ED’s letter aims to influence court, says CM Siddaramaiah 

Mandya (Karnataka), Dec 4 Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has alleged that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) letter to the Lokayukta a day before the Karnataka High Court hearing was intended to influence the judiciary.

CM Siddaramaiah is the prime accused in the MUDA scam. His wife Parvathy is named as the second accused.

Responding to media questions at the K.R. Pet helipad in Mandya district on Wednesday, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the ED for leaking details of its investigation to the media and questioned the motive behind sending a letter to the Lokayukta.

“The ED is conducting an investigation, which itself is questionable. Even if they conducted the investigation, they could have submitted the report to the Lokayukta afterwards. Instead, they sent a letter to the Lokayukta and leaked the details to the media. This clearly indicates a political motive,” he charged.

CM Siddaramaiah alleged that the timing of the letter and media leaks -- just a day before the High Court hearing -- was a deliberate attempt to influence the judiciary and create bias in the court's stance.

He mentioned that the court directed the Lokayukta to submit an investigation report by December 24.

"If needed, the ED could have submitted their findings to the Lokayukta. This approach of leaking information and writing letters shows their ulterior motives, which the people of the state will understand," he added.

The ED had written a letter to the Karnataka Lokayukta on its findings and shared information on the alleged illegal allotment of sites to CM Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathy as compensation.

The ED, in a recent communication sent to the Karnataka Lokayukta department, claimed that MUDA had "illegally" allotted a total of 1,095 sites in benami and other such transactions. It also stated that the whole process of allotment of sites to CM Siddaramaiah's wife was found to be illegal.

The agency has also claimed to have found evidence that one of CM Siddaramaiah's assistants, S.G. Dinesh Kumar alias C.T. Kumar, wielded "undue influence" in the process.

"Most of the allotments have been made in the name of Benami or dummy persons in the guise of land losers. However, the beneficiaries of these illegal allotments are real estate businessmen and influential persons," the Enforcement Directorate probe found.

The ED is preparing to initiate action against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah following the gathering of "clinching evidence" against him in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam case, sources said on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, when asked about a possible cabinet reshuffle, the CM responded, “Did I say we are doing a cabinet reshuffle? You created your own assumptions and made news. Now, how can you ask me for an answer? The High Command has not issued any instructions regarding this matter,” he clarified. Regarding the Congress rally in Hassan scheduled for Thursday, CM Siddaramaiah said it is a Congress-organised event