MUDA case: Siddaramaiah braces for testing three months as CM's 'Mr Clean' image under dark cloud

Bengaluru: Embattled Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who faces a trying three months ahead, maintained on Wednesday that he is ready to face investigation in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam.

“I’m ready to face investigation. I won’t fear any probe. I’m ready for a legal fight,” Siddaramaiah said after a special court for cases involving elected representatives ordered the Lokayuka police in Mysuru to start an investigation in the MUDA 'scam'.

The special court has sought the investigation report by December 24, making the next three months precarious for Siddaramaiah, the two-time chief minister whose ‘Mr Clean’ image is now under a dark cloud.

According to sources, Siddaramaiah has asked his legal advisor AS Ponnanna and Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty to suggest the next steps. There is speculation that Siddaramaiah may challenge the First Information Report (FIR) once it is registered by the Lokayukta.

“I’ll consult lawyers and make a final decision,” Siddaramaiah said before leaving for Kerala where he attended an event along with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal.

Sources in the CM’s camp pointed out that Siddaramaiah will have to exhaust all legal remedies in the high court before moving the Supreme Court.

Having put up a brave face so far, Siddaramaiah is counting on some legal relief and the Congress, too, is waiting to see how it goes for its CM.

“The CM will go ahead with his normal routine work,” MLC Prakash Rathod said. “It’s not that he’s disappointed. He’s determined to fight. The very fact that PM Modi himself commented on this at a rally in Haryana shows that it's more political than judicial,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed confidence that Siddaramaiah would come out clean. “The CM isn’t involved. I don’t know if some (MUDA) officials did something,” he said.

Inquiry commission will continue: CM

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah specified on Wednesday that the one-man inquiry commission headed by retired high court Justice PN Desai would go ahead with its probe into irregularities at Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). “Is there a stay on that? It’ll continue. There’s no stay on the commission of inquiry,” Siddaramaiah said. Set up on July 14, the inquiry commission has been asked to cover MUDA’s affairs between 2006 and July 15, 2024.