Oct 16, 2024 01:08 AM IST
The development comes as chief minister Siddaramaiah faces mounting corruption allegations from opposition parties.
Bengaluru: Amid the investigations into Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment case, RTI activist Gangaraju on Tuesday filed a formal complaint with governor Thaawar Chand Gehlot, accusing Lokayukta officials of intentional delays and irregularities in the probe.
Gangaraju’s complaint has alleged that Lokayukta officers deliberately delayed issuing a critical search warrant, which has hindered the investigation. The complaint has named several key figures, including senior Lokayukta officials, urban development minister Byrathi Suresh, special duty officer Maruti Bagali, and former MUDA commissioners Natesh and Dinesh.
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Gangaraju stated that inspector Ravikumar’s team had reportedly collected over 1,000 pages of evidence pointing to irregularities in MUDA operations. However, the complaint said that the request for a search warrant was intentionally stalled by the then superintendent of police (SP), causing significant delays in further investigations.
“Once the search warrant was finally issued, it was quickly retrieved, creating another roadblock. Some officials leaked sensitive information to the government, allowing Minister Byrathi Suresh to transport crucial documents to Bengaluru by helicopter, raising serious concerns about tampering,” said Gangaraju.
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The complaint has cast a spotlight on key figures involved in the MUDA investigation, with Suresh, Bagali, and former MUDA commissioners being accused of attempting to obstruct or derail the investigation. Gangaraju asserted that these delays and leaks indicate a coordinated effort to shield influential individuals connected to the scam, undermining the integrity of the Lokayukta’s probe.
“The delay in issuing the search warrant, followed by its retrieval, raises grave concerns about the transparency of the investigation. An independent and unbiased inquiry is necessary to bring out the truth,” Gangaraju stated in his complaint.
The development comes as chief minister Siddaramaiah faces mounting corruption allegations from opposition parties. The RTI activist’s complaint hints at systematic efforts to protect high-profile individuals from scrutiny, and with the Lokayukta now under suspicion, speculation about political interference in the investigation has intensified.
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KPCC spokesperson M Lakshman dismissed the allegations and said: “These charges against Lokayukta officials are baseless and aimed at grabbing attention. The Lokayukta is an independent body and does not fall under the control of the state government. When the matter is pending in court, how can RTI activists claim the investigation is flawed? They are acting as agents of the BJP and JD(S), harassing officers.”
In response, Karunakar, convener of the BJP state unit’s media wing, said: “Everyone knows the Congress is involved in this scam and is trying to hush up the case. If the Congress truly respects the Constitution, they should hand over the investigation to the CBI for an impartial probe.”
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