MUDA Case: Karnataka High Court Reviews Siddaramaiah’s Petition as Chief Minister Inspects Bengaluru
On Thursday, the Karnataka High Court began hearing a writ petition filed by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah challenging Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s approval for his prosecution in the alleged MUDA scam.
While the court hearing commenced, Siddaramaiah, who had previously canceled his appointments for the day, was seen conducting inspections around Bengaluru. The bench, led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, has directed both parties to complete their arguments by the end of the day.
Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing Siddaramaiah, argued that the Governor, who is appointed rather than elected, should be more accountable. He contended that the Governor’s consent for prosecution in a 23-year-old case seemed politically motivated rather than a matter of enforcing presidential rule.
Singhvi asserted that the Governor should not have dismissed the Cabinet’s advice without providing reasons. He criticized the Governor for a lack of substantial explanation in his decision and claimed that the action against Siddaramaiah was rushed and lacked proper discretion.
Singhvi also pointed out that Siddaramaiah had not been involved in any decisions related to the MUDA case, which had seen the involvement of numerous officers over the years. He suggested that the action against Siddaramaiah might be an attempt to destabilize the Congress government.
Defending the Governor, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the decision was lawful and followed due process. Advocate General K. Shashi Kiran Shetty, representing Siddaramaiah, contended that the Governor had overstepped by acting as an investigator and failing to adhere to principles of natural justice.
Additionally, lawyer Lakshmi Iyengar, representing petitioner Snehamayi Krishna, claimed there was evidence linking Siddaramaiah to the MUDA case, highlighting issues related to the property owned by the Chief Minister’s wife.
In a related development, the Karnataka government has suspended former MUDA Commissioner GT Dinesh Kumar pending an inquiry into the charges against him.
While the court proceedings were underway, Siddaramaiah inspected various construction projects in Bengaluru, including the BDA flyover near Hebbal and metro construction near KR Puram Railway Station. He later traveled to Vidhana Soudha via metro and decided to cancel a scheduled press meet at his home office, opting instead to issue a press statement.
