Activist files defamation case against CM Siddaramaiah for calling him 'blackmailer'

He is among the petitioners who had urged Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to permit investigation against the Chief Minister in the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam.

Bengaluru: Activist TJ Abraham, one of the complainants in the MUDA sites allotment case, has filed a defamation suit against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

In his complaint, Abraham stated that Siddaramaiah had called him "blackmailer" after he filed the application before the Governor seeking approval for investigation against the Chief Minister in the MUDA alternative sites allotment case.

According to the defamation suit, on August 2, 2024, Siddaramaiah had made alleged defamatory statements against Abraham. The Chief Minister had allegedly said the antecedents of Abraham showed that he was a "blackmailer" and that he had been filing such complaints against several people.

On August 16, 2024, the Governor had passed the order, approving investigation under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act on the applications filed by three complainants - TJ Abraham, Snehamayi Krishna and Pradeep Kumar SP.

“Siddaramaiah in his enthusiasm for vengeance against me made certain public statements. He called me a blackmailer and a person with bad antecedents,” Abraham told PTI.

“You (Siddaramaiah) have taken 14 sites by creating a bogus and illegal claim and you call me a blackmailer! I have filed a defamation case against you. We will see how you will escape,” he said.

In the MUDA case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the MUDA.

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 the 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 at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk Karnataka Lokayukta police, and the Directorate of Enforcement have launched an investigation into the 'scam'.

The Chief Minister has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged scam.

Based on the petition filed by Abraham, the Governor issued a notice to the Chief Minister on July 26 directing him to submit his reply to the allegations against him within seven days justifying why permission to prosecute him should not be granted.

(With PTI inputs)