Karnataka
Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot has authorized the prosecution of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the MUDA land scam involving serious allegations.
The Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA), founded in 1904, is Karnataka’s leading urban planning agency, now at the centre of a major land scam controversy.
The scandal involves 14 plots given to Siddaramaiah’s wife in Vijayanagar, reportedly exchanged for a site in Kesare village, sparking accusations of illegitimate land swaps.
The 50:50 ratio scheme, introduced in 2009, gave landowners half of developed sites for donated land. Although cancelled in 2020, alleged misuse by MUDA reportedly persisted.
Allegations claim illegal land allotments and involvement of MUDA officials and middlemen in the scam, including improper site allocations and misconduct.
RTI activist Gangaraju claims Siddaramaiah’s wife received prime site instead of an available site in Devanur. Siddaramaiah defends the allotment, citing unavailability in Devanur.
BJP claims Kesare land is valued at Rs 2,000-3,000 per square foot, while Vijayanagar land is worth Rs 10,000-12,000 per square foot, questioning justification.
Critics allege Siddaramaiah’s brother, Mallikarjun, was involved in illegal transactions and denotifications, with claims that the land originally belonged to a Dalit.
With the Governor's approval, legal proceedings will continue. Siddaramaiah may contest the prosecution, and further investigations into the irregularities are expected.