Court rejects plea to change IO in MUDA case, directs Lokayukta to finish probe in 2 months
Bengaluru (PTI): A court here on Thursday rejected an application filed by activist and complainant Snehamayi Krishna seeking a change of Investigating Officer in a case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The petitioner had requested the court to direct the Karnataka Lokayukta to appoint a different officer to handle the investigation.
However, the Bengaluru Additional City Civil and Sessions Court declined the request and instead directed the Lokayukta to complete the ongoing investigation "as expeditiously as possible" and within a maximum period of two months.
The order specifically stated that no further extension of time would be granted for filing the comprehensive report.
The court also directed its office to immediately communicate the order to the Investigating Agency.
During Thursday's hearing, the complainant appeared in person, while the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) representing both the Enforcement Directorate and the Karnataka Lokayukta was present.
The matter has been posted for the next hearing on November 15, for furnishing of the final report.
In the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land which had been "acquired" by the 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.
It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title over this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk Karnataka Lokayukta police, and the Directorate of Enforcement have launched an investigation into the 'scam'.
The chief minister has denied any wrongdoing in the alleged scam.
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Rupee falls 9 paise to all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade
Mumbai (PTI): Rupee depreciated 9 paise to an all-time low of 90.58 against US dollar in early trade on Monday, weighed down by uncertainty over an India-US trade deal and persistent foreign fund outflows.
Forex traders said rupee is trading with a negative bias as investors are in wait and watch mode and awaiting cues from the India-US trade deal front.
At the interbank foreign exchange market, the rupee opened at 90.53 against the US dollar, then fell further to an all-time intraday low of 90.58 against the greenback, registering a fall of 9 paise over its previous close.
On Friday, the rupee had slipped 17 paise to close at an all-time low of 90.49 against the American currency.
Meanwhile, the dollar index, which gauges the greenback's strength against a basket of six currencies, was trading 0.05 per cent lower at 98.35.
Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, was trading higher by 0.52 per cent at USD 61.44 per barrel in futures trade.
On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share benchmark index Sensex was trading 298.86 points lower at 84,968.80, while the Nifty was down 121.40 points at 25,925.55.
Foreign Institutional Investors sold equities worth Rs 1,114.22 crore on Friday, according to exchange data.
"FPIs continue to be in selling mode in equity and debt while RBI has been selling dollars to fund their long positions," said Anil Kumar Bhansali, Head of Treasury and Executive Director Finrex Treasury Advisors LLP.
