National desk
24 September
Sandeep Dhand Ludhiana
In a setback for Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday dismissed his plea challenging Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s approval for an inquiry against him in a land allotment case. The case involves allegations related to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) altering 14 places in a key area. Governor Gehlot had authorized an inquiry led by the Chief Minister’s wife into the matter, prompting Siddaramaiah to approach the High Court.
Justice M. Nagaprasanna, who heard the case over six sittings starting August 19, reserved his decision on September 12. While the court had earlier extended the stay on any action in this case until the petition’s resolution, the High Court has now rejected the plea.
Delivering the verdict, Justice Nagaprasanna said the allegations raised in the petition need thorough investigation, especially since the petitioner, Siddaramaiah, appears to have directly benefited from the proceedings. The court concluded that there was enough ground for the inquiry to continue, and the petition challenging the Governor’s decision was dismissed.
This decision opens the way for further investigation into the Chief Minister’s role in the case.