Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told the media that he had told the “truth” about the land allotment case to the Lokayutta police and said he had not been asked to void it again. Siddaramaiah was questioned by the Lokayukta for about two hours on Wednesday regarding irregularities in allotment of land to his wife by the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
“The Locayota police questioned me and I answered all their questions. They wrote everything down and read it to me. Everything went well. False accusations were made against me, but I told them the truth. . They did not ask me to appear again,” Siddaramaiah told reporters after questioning.
Sources revealed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was questioned in detail regarding the irregularities in land allocation in MUDA. Three police officers conducted the interrogation, which had no set end time. In accordance with the Criminal Procedure Code, the entire interrogation was videotaped to ensure transparency.
What happened during the questioning?
Investigators asked a series of questions, which the chief minister answered on the basis of familiarity with the subject matter and avoided answering questions with which he was unfamiliar.
Sources revealed that about six police officers are actively investigating.
The Chief Minister was treated as an ordinary citizen as per his request and was not given any special treatment. Although Siddaramaiah did not provide any documents during the meeting, follow-up inquiries may be arranged if necessary and he has signed the consent form.
So far, 10 to 15 witnesses and four accused named in the FIR have been examined. The Lokayukta plans to submit its final report by December 24.
Siddaramaiah criticizes BJP
The chief minister, while interacting with the media after testifying, also refuted the allegations leveled by the BJP over the handling of the case.
“Why is the BJP protesting against me with slogans of ‘go back’? Are they violating the court order? The court ordered an inquiry – are they against the inquiry? They have made false accusations against me, but now the truth will come out.
The BJP had raised objections to the chief minister’s earlier schedule, according to which Siddaramaiah was scheduled to be questioned at the office from 10 am to 12 am.
The BJP has raised questions over the chief minister’s initial schedule, which had him face questioning at the Lokayukta office from 10 am to 12 noon before campaigning for the Channapatna by-election polls. The opposition argued that defendants should not be able to set their own trial times. Following criticism, the chief minister’s schedule was adjusted.
Siddaramaiah also echoed the BJP’s other objections and said: “Whose control is the CBI? Has the BJP ever handed over the case to the CBI? Who handed over the case to Lokayutta? Putting pressure on? The Lokayukta is an independent body. They say the CBI is independent and the Lokayukta is independent at the state level. Now they are questioning the legal process? Has a case been filed with the CBI?
Siddaramaiah has been named as the main accused in the case filed by the Lokayukta and faces allegations of illegal conduct by MUDA in allotting 14 plots of land to his wife Parvathi BM.
