MUDA case: ED's communication to Lokayukata police is politically motivated, says CM Siddaramaiah
Mandya (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday termed the ED's recent communication to the state Lokayukta police in connection with the MUDA site allotment case, as "politically motivated" and sent with an intent to influence them and the court.
He repeatedly asserted that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has no powers to investigate the case.
Siddaramaiah is facing allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife Parvathi B M by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).
"It is politically motivated. Tomorrow our writ appeal against the single bench order is coming up (before division bench in HC), if they have done it just ahead of it, what does it mean? First of all they (ED) dont have any powers to investigate, they cannot do it legally. Secondly, they have done this to influence the court," he said in response to a question on ED's letter to Lokayukta.
Addressing reporters here, the CM said, "The Lokayukta is conducting the inquiry and they will have to submit a report. This has been done to influence them, to make them prejudicial. This is politically motivated and out of political malice."
According to the ED, evidence of several irregularities has been detected in the transfer of 14 sites by the MUDA to Parvathi.
The federal agency, in a recent communication sent to the Lokayukta police, claimed that its probe has also found that MUDA had "illegally" allotted a total of 1,095 sites in benami and other such transactions.
The alleged illegal activities at MUDA "did not end" with the case of Parvathi as a total of 1,095 sites, with a market value of more than Rs 700 crore, were "illegally" allotted, according to an investigation report accessed by PTI and information from official sources.
Reiterating that the ED has no powers to investigate the case, but still they are probing, the CM said, "The Governor had asked to investigate, the district court (special court) told Lokayukta police to investigate and submit a report by December 24. They (Lokayukta police) are investigating, but why are they (ED) writing a letter? What is their intention? Isn't it deliberate?"
"... there is no truth in it (the case). They (ED) are investigating the case, let them give the report independently? Why have they written a letter (to Lokayukta)? They may share the information, but it doesn't mean that they should write a letter and it should be released to the media," he said, adding that the intention is "totally, hundred per cent political."
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, following the Special Court order.
On September 30, the ED filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) to book the CM and others taking cognisance of the Lokayukta FIR, and is also probing the case.
In the MUDA site allotment case, it is alleged that 14 compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru (Vijayanagar Layout 3rd and 4th stages), which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by MUDA.
The MUDA had allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land, where it developed a residential layout.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
However, as the site allocation triggered a controversy, Parvathi wrote to MUDA asking it to cancel 14 sites allotted to her and the MUDA had accepted it.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
