Evidence of several irregularities have been detected in the transfer of 14 sites by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to B M Parvathi, the wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, according to the Enforcement Directorate.
The Supreme Court referred to a larger bench the legal issues stemming from a plea of BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, including the question whether a prior sanction to prosecute is needed under the Prevention of Corruption Act after a magisterial court order of inquiry. The questions revolve around the interplay between the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Code of Criminal Procedure on the issue of prior sanction to prosecute a public servant.
A proposal by the Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) to rename a stretch of road in the city after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has sparked strong objections from the opposition JD(S) and citizens. The proposal, which calls for naming a stretch of KRS Road as 'Siddaramaiah Arogya Marga', has been met with criticism, with the JD(S) calling it a "betrayal and insult" to the city's history and the state. The proposal has also drawn ire from RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna, who alleges that the road holds historical significance and that Siddaramaiah is an accused in the MUDA site allotment case. Citizens have also voiced their objections to the proposal, and Krishna has announced her intention to challenge it legally.
Indian Overseas Congress chief Sam Pitroda has denied owning any land, home, or stocks in India, responding to allegations by a BJP leader that he illegally acquired 12.35 acres of government land in Bengaluru. The BJP leader, N R Ramesh, has filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate and the Karnataka Lokayukta, alleging that Pitroda, with the help of government officials, acquired the land for his organization, FRLHT. Pitroda, in a statement on X, categorically denied the allegations, stating he has never taken any salary during his time working with the Indian government and has never paid or accepted any bribe. He further clarified that FRLHT received a five-year lease on the land for conservation purposes, which expired in 2001 and was extended for another 10 years. Ramesh claims the lease expired in 2011 and the land, now worth over Rs 150 crore, was not reclaimed by the forest department. He has urged the ED to file a criminal case against those involved in the alleged land grab, including the officials responsible.
The MUDA office in Mysuru and some other locations are being raided by the federal probe agency officials along with an escort of a central paramilitary force, the sources said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday questioned the ED slapping a money laundering case against him in the MUDA 'scam' and once again ruled out his resignation over the issue.
The Supreme Court of India has stayed a Lokpal order that allowed complaints to be filed against a sitting high court judge. The court termed the order "something very, very disturbing" and a concern for the independence of the judiciary. The bench issued notices to the Centre, the Lokpal registrar, and the complainant, directing them to keep the identity of the judge confidential. The court will hear the matter again on March 18.
P Vishwanatha Shetty is stated to be out of danger.
A Special Court in Bengaluru on Wednesday ordered a Lokayukta police probe against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case.
In a Facebook post, Jaleel himself confirmed that he had put in his papers. "I am happy to say that those who had been baying for my blood can be relieved for now. I have submitted my resignation to the chief minister. Since the past two years, I have been facing a media onslaught," Jaleel, second minister in the LDF ministry to resign on nepotism charges, said in the post.
Siddaramaiah is facing the Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the MUDA.
In a letter to the Mysuru Urban Development Authority commissioner she said she was allotted the 14 alternative sites in the third and fourth phase of Vijayanagar in Mysuru against the usage of her three acres and 16 Guntas of land in Kesare village under Kasaba Hobli in Mysuru.
Karnataka state Bharatiya Janata Party president B Y Vijayendra and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh called on state minister Satish Jarkiholi separately on Monday, triggering political speculation.
The Special Lokayukta court in Bengaluru summoned former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa even as it rejected a B report and ordered a further probe against V Somanna, the former CM's closest aide.
Terming the charges against him a "BJP conspiracy", Siddaramaiah said he would wage a legal fight.
India's anti-corruption ombudsman, the Lokpal, has dismissed a complaint alleging corruption against former Chief Justice of India (CJI) DY Chandrachud, citing a lack of jurisdiction. The complaint, filed in October 2024, alleged abuse of office, corruption, and favoritism by Chandrachud while he was CJI. The Lokpal, in its order, concluded that sitting judges of the Supreme Court, including the CJI, are not subject to its jurisdiction under the Lokpal and Lokayuktas Act. The Lokpal stated that the Supreme Court was established by the Constitution of India, not an Act of Parliament, making it outside the scope of its jurisdiction.
In fresh trouble for B S Yeddyurappa, Karnataka governor H R Bhardwaj on Wednesday gave sanction to the Lokayukta police to initiate criminal proceedings against him over the report on illegal mining. Bhardwaj accepted the findings and recommendations of the Lokayukta in Chapter 22 of the report for initiating criminal proceedings against Yeddyurappa, a Raj Bhavan communique said.
President Pratibha Patil has rejected the Delhi Lokayukta's recommendation to sack Delhi's Public Works Department Minister Raj Kumar Chauhan for his alleged involvement in protecting a leading resort in a tax evasion case.
Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Monday announced that the Lokayukta for the state would be appointed by August this year.
Amid the controversy over the issue of appointment of Lokayukta by the Governor in Gujarat, Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj on Wednesday said he cannot name the new anti-corruption ombudsman in the state without the government's approval.
The Supreme Court judgement is based on this paradox. Gujarat will now have a Lokayukta whom the council of ministers never recommended. Constitutional short-cuts do not establish either good governance or good precedents, says Arun Jaitley.
In line with the August 8 order of the Lokayukta court directing investigation into the charges against Yeddyurappa in a private complaint, an FIR has been registered under section 158 (3) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, Incharge Lokayukta Superintendent of Police, Rangaswamy Naik told PTI.
Shivakumar took stock of the incident in which five people lost their lives.
Justice Shivraj Patil, who took over as the Lokayukta of Karnataka two months ago, may tender his resignation on Monday. Insiders said that he is on his way to Raj Bhavan.
Taking serious note of indictment by the Lokayukta, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Sunday dropped one of her ministers charged with graft.
Karnataka Lokayukta Police on Tuesday raided the premises of former minister and mining baron Janardhan Reddy in Bellary for alleged illegal mining and possession of disproportionate assets.
Karnataka Governor H R Bhardwaj has rejected the resignation of the state's Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde. Sources in the Raj Bhavan, while refusing to reveal details about the governor's decision, confirmed that Justice Hegde's resignation had been rejected.The Lokayukta had tendered his resignation on Wednesday citing the failure of the government to protect the interest of the institution.Hegde slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party government for reneging on its promise.
Retired Allahabad HC Justice Sanjay Mishra was sworn in as the new Lokayukta of UP bringing to an end a bitter year-long feud between Raj Bhawan and the state government.
The Madhya Pradesh Special Police Establishment (also known as Lokayukta) is exempted under Section 24 of the RTI Act as per directions of the state government, it said in a reply to an RTI query.
The move by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge's son Rahul Kharge comes close on the heels of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi returning the 14 sites to Mysuru Urban Development Authority after the Lokayukta police registered a case against Siddaramaiah, his wife and brother-in-law.
The Lokayukta court on Tuesday issued summons to former Karnataka Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda, his wife and another person on a complaint alleging illegal construction on government land and allotment of site to them under discretionary quota when they already possessed land.
The Aam Aadmi Party government on Friday told the Delhi high court that it has initiated the process to appoint Lokayukta, a post which has remained vacant since November 2013.
Earlier, deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who is also the state party chief, also had separate meetings with Parameshwara and Jarkiholi.
The minister wrote he had not said anything against the dignity of the post, however, if dignity of the post was hurt due to wrong selection of words by him, he apologises for it, they said.
"BJP national general secretary Kirit Somaiya lodged a complaint against me with Lokayukta, but nothing was found. If I did not have personal relationship with Lokayukta I could have moved the Supreme Court and got him removed," Upadhyaya said while addressing a public meeting in Haathras on Friday evening.
When the governor and chief justice objected to his choice, the UP chief minister just changed the law.
Narendra Modi speaking about Lokayukta is like Asaram "talking about virginity", Union Minister Jairam Ramesh said on Monday, hitting back at the Bharatiya Janata Party prime ministerial candidate.
The Lokayukta office in Karnataka has been vacant for over two months and there is indication that the government is contemplating scrapping the anti-corruption ombudsman. Vicky Nanjappa reports
Gujarat Congress on Tuesday accused the state government of indulging in large scale corruption and alleged that Chief Minister Narendra Modi had not appointed a Lokayukta to prevent the truth from coming out.
Former Karnataka Lokayukta Justice Santosh Hegde on Monday said he was not willing to be Goa Lokayukta, even if that office was offered to him.
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