Complaint Filed Against CM Siddaramaiah for Rs 68 Crore Fraud in MLAs/MPs Court
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah faces new legal troubles as a private complaint has been filed against him and others in the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru, alleging a fraud exceeding Rs 68 crore involving the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP).
On Friday, senior BJP leader and RTI activist N.R. Ramesh submitted the complaint, seeking court approval to file a criminal case against Siddaramaiah and several others. The complaint also names Minister of Energy K.J. George, former Principal Secretary Lakshminarayan, Major P. Manivannan, and Manjunath Prasad, former BBMP Commissioner, among others.
Ramesh’s complaint, submitted under Section 223 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, alleges that during Siddaramaiah’s previous term as Chief Minister from 2013 to 2018, the state government used 493 BBMP bus shelters for promotional activities without paying the Rs 68.14 crore in advertisement fees.
According to Ramesh, complaints regarding this issue were lodged with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) and Lokayukta, supported by records showing that from 2015 to 2017, the Siddaramaiah government did not pay any advertisement fees for the use of these bus shelters.
The BBMP, which relies on limited revenue sources such as property tax and advertisement fees, spends around Rs 10,000 crore annually on salaries, park maintenance, street lights, and road repairs. Ramesh claims that a ‘Demand Notice’ was issued by the then Special Commissioner (Finance) of BBMP on July 5, 2017, requesting Rs 12.98 crore from the Siddaramaiah government. However, the government allegedly ignored this notice.
Following Siddaramaiah’s return as Chief Minister, Ramesh alleges that the Lokayukta police closed the complaint related to the Rs 68.14 crore fraud on July 26, 2024, due to alleged pressure from Siddaramaiah.
Ramesh has filed a “Private Complaint” in the Special Court for People’s Representatives, challenging the closure of the case and seeking an order for further investigation.
Additionally, CM Siddaramaiah is currently facing allegations in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case and has sought relief from the High Court against Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s order to prosecute him. The court has reserved its decision on the matter.
