ED action in MUDA scam: BJP demands Siddaramaiah to step down
Bengaluru: The BJP on Saturday demanded that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah step down immediately in the backdrop of the ED attaching 142 MUDA units of immovable assets.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday provisionally attached 142 immovable properties, with a market value of about Rs 300 crore, under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, in connection with a case involving Siddaramaiah and others.
The ED stated that the attached properties are registered under the names of various individuals working as real estate businessmen and agents.
"If CM @siddaramaiah values the integrity of his office, he must step down immediately and allow an impartial probe to proceed. The people of Karnataka deserve transparency, accountability, and justice," BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said in a post on 'X'.
The Shikaripura MLA described the development as a significant victory in the fight against the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment scam.
Explaining the MUDA scam, the ED alleged, "Siddaramaiah used his political influence to secure compensation of 14 sites (plots) in his wife B M Parvathi's name in exchange for 3 acres and 16 guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for Rs 3,24,700, while the compensation—14 sites in a posh locality—is worth approximately Rs 56 crore."
The ED added that former MUDA commissioner D B Natesh played a key role in the illegal allotment of compensation sites to Parvathi.
Vijayendra claimed that the ED's investigation had exposed significant corruption, with Siddaramaiah allegedly misusing his political influence to allocate sites illegally in his wife's name.
"The allocation of sites to 'benamis' and proxies of influential individuals further highlights systemic corruption," he alleged.
When Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sanctioned Siddaramaiah's prosecution, "the Congress spared no effort in insulting and undermining the constitutional authority of the Governor," Vijayendra added.
He pointed out that the Karnataka High Court upheld the Governor's decision, emphasizing that allegations against the Chief Minister's family warranted deeper investigation.
Hailing the ED, Vijayendra said the investigation agency "thwarted any malicious attempt by CM Siddaramaiah to subvert the investigation by misusing government machinery."
The BJP leader added that the saffron party and its ally JD(S) have consistently protested, both within and outside the Assembly, against "this blatant misuse of power by the CM and his associates."
"The ED's findings validate our persistent fight against corruption and reveal that there is more to this than meets the eye. This is also a slap on those who derided our anti-corruption campaign," Vijayendra said.
According to him, the ED's revelations represent only the tip of the iceberg.
Vijayendra stated that thousands of crores of public money had been misappropriated in the scam and called for a comprehensive CBI investigation to uncover the full extent of the scandal.
There was no immediate response from the Chief Minister, but his deputy, D K Shivakumar, who is also the Congress state president, dismissed the BJP's demand.
"There is no need for anyone's resignation or politics. No resignation will be tendered, nor is there any reason to consider it. Let them first address their scams," Shivakumar told reporters.
Karnataka Rural Development and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge challenged the BJP to investigate all wrongdoings in Urban Development Authorities over the past 10 to 15 years.
He warned the BJP that digging deeper into these scams might lead to their humiliation.
"We are saying, let them use Income Tax, ED, or any investigative agency. We are also asking them to look into whatever happened in the past 10 to 15 years in all the Urban Development Authorities," Kharge said.
According to him, all actions related to MUDA were conducted as per the law. If there was anything illegal, BJP and JD(S) leaders would also bear responsibility, as they were members of the MUDA Board.
Kharge added, "The Chief Minister has already stated that the party will neither obstruct nor fear any investigation. Send your complaints to whoever you want—CBI, ED, I-T, or the Governor's office. We have no problem."
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
