MUDA case: ED's letter to Lokayukta a day before hearing aims to influence court, alleges CM Siddaramaiah

K R Pet (Mandya dist): Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had written a letter to the Lokayukta with the intention of influencing the court a day before CM's petition was to be heard in the Karnataka High Court on a probe pertaining to the MUDA site allotment.

Speaking to reporters at the helipad near K R Pet taluk, Mandya district, Siddaramaiah said, ED probe in this case is not going as per the law. "They should have submitted the report to the Lokayukta. Instead, writing a letter to the Lokayukta and leaking it to the media has a political motive," he said.

"Our petition is scheduled for a hearing in the high court tomorrow. There is malicious intention and political motive behind publicising it in the media a day prior to the hearing to influence the court," he added.

The CM said the court had directed the Lokayukta to submit a report before December 24. There was a provision for the ED to review the report with Lokayukta. The people of the state can understand the intention behind it.

To a query on cabinet reshuffle, Siddaramaiah asked "Did I say that there would be cabinet reshuffle? It was all media speculations. The high command has not given any directions on this," he said.

To a question on Congress convention in Hassan, he said, it is a party event.

Ministers N Chaluvarayaswamy and K N Rajanna were present.