MYSURU, Nov 6: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday said he has answered all questions posed to him by Lokayukta police in the MUDA case and he has told them the “truth”.
The CM, who has been named as accused number 1 in the FIR lodged by the Lokayukta police, is facing allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B M by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
The Lokayukta police questioned Siddaramaiah for about two hours.
“Everything has happened legally, BJP and JD(S) are making false allegations…I have answered all questions posed to me by Lokayukta Police, they have recorded it…they will proceed with further investigation,” Siddaramaiah said.
Speaking to reporters after appearing before Lokayukta police, he said: “…a false case was made against me, I was questioned, I have told the truth.”
“Until it is decided by the court (about any wrongdoing) there is no black spot on my image. What is against me are just allegations. False allegations are made against me. I will respond to such allegations in the court and to the police during the probe,” he said in response to a question.
Siddaramaiah appeared before the Lokayukta police in response to the summons issued to him and responded to questions put to him by a team led by Lokayukta Superintendent of Police (SP) T J Udesh, official sources said.
They had on October 25 questioned his wife, who has been named as accused number 2.
Siddaramaiah, his wife, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and Devaraju — from whom Swamy had purchased a land and gifted it to Parvathi — and others have been named in the FIR registered by the Mysuru-located Lokayukta police establishment on September 27.
Swamy and Devaraju have already deposed before the Lokayukta police.
Asked about BJP’s “Go back Siddaramaiah” protest, the CM said, “What was Snehamayi Krishna (RTI activist) plea? What the Governor has said? — to investigate. If they say — Go back Siddaramaiah — are they (BJP) against the investigation? This makes it clear that they have made false allegations.”
To a question on BJP demanding a CBI probe into the MUDA ‘scam’, expressing doubts about the Lokayukta investigation, he asked, “CBI is under whom? Has the BJP given any case to CBI (While in power in the state)?”
When told about the opposition alleging that the Lokayukta seems to be conducting the probe in a pre-planned way to help the CM, Siddaramaiah said the Lokayukta is an independent agency.
“They say CBI is independent, similarly Lokayukta is also an independent agency in the state. They (BJP) don’t have respect for law…have they — the BJP given any case to CBI?” he asked.
Responding to RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna’s petition in the High Court seeking direction to transfer the case to CBI, the CM said, “We will fight it in the High Court, that’s a different matter…”
Asked as to why his wife returned 14 sites, when there was no wrongdoing, he said, “the site was not returned conceding any wrongdoing. It was the decision made by my wife, as false allegations were made against me.”
Further stating that he will face the case with the help of his lawyers, Siddaramaiah, when pointed out that this was, first such probe in a personal case against him in his over four decades-long public life, said, “Such things happen when false allegations are made. What to do?” (PTI)
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