Sat Sep 28 07:05:59 UTC 2024: ## Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah Faces FIR in MUDA Site Allotment Case

**Mysuru, Karnataka:** Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has been named in an FIR by the Lokayukta Police on Friday in connection with a controversial land allotment case. This comes days after a special court in Bengaluru ordered a probe into allegations of illegal allotment of 14 sites worth ₹56 crore by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to the chief minister’s wife, Parvathi.

The special court, handling criminal cases related to former and elected MPs/MLAs, issued the order based on a complaint filed by RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna. The order followed the Karnataka High Court’s decision upholding Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to investigate Siddaramaiah in the case.

Despite the FIR, Siddaramaiah has maintained his innocence and refused to resign. “I have done no wrong. This is a political case, please underline,” he stated on Friday. The Chief Minister also refuted calls for resignation from the opposition BJP, arguing that there is no reason to step down if no wrongdoing has been committed.

The development comes amid heightened political tension in the state. The Karnataka government, facing scrutiny over the MUDA case, withdrew general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate cases in the state on Thursday. The government alleged bias in the federal agency, a claim rejected by the BJP, which slammed the move as an attempt to evade accountability.

“Thousands of crores have been usurped in the MUDA scam. To evade the long hand of law, the Congress has withdrawn the general consent given to the CBI to investigate in the state,” said BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla.

The MUDA case continues to be a major source of controversy in Karnataka, with the FIR against the Chief Minister further escalating political tensions. The case is expected to have significant repercussions for the Congress government as it navigates the upcoming state elections.

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