MUDA case: Plea in Karnataka High Court seeks to make ED party respondent

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Tuesday ordered notices to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife B M Parvathi and others over an interlocutory application (IA) for including the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as party respondents in a petition that has sought a CBI probe into the MUDA site allotment case.

Justice M Nagaprasanna adjourned the hearing till December 19 while directing the respondent state government, represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal and original landowner Devaraju, represented by senior advocate Dushyant Dave, to file their objections by the next date. 

Meanwhile, the Lokayukta police, who are investigating the case, submitted the status report as well as documents pertaining to the investigation conducted until December 9, 2024. Their counsel informed the court that the documents submitted in a sealed cover included witness statements. On November 5, 2024, the court had ordered the Lokayukta police to submit the investigation papers.

At the hearing, Sibal submitted that whenever an investigation is sought to be transferred, it is mandatory that the affected parties are heard. He told the court that the chief minister, his wife and brother-in-law were not served with notices.

The court directed the petitioner, Snehamayi Krishna, to serve notices through hand summons to Siddaramaiah, his wife and brother-in-law B M Mallikarjuna in the main petition seeking a CBI investigation.

Krishna has contended that an impartial investigation is not possible since Siddaramaiah, being the chief minister, wields immense power and influence over state government departments, especially state investigating agencies such as the police and the Karnataka Lokayukta police.