Karnataka government opposes Governor's sanction to prosecute CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA scam
Bengaluru: The Karnataka government told the High Court on Tuesday that the Governor does not have the authority to sanction the prosecution of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA scam.
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, representing the State, argued before a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice NV Anjaria and Justice KV Aravind that the Governor’s decision to grant prosecution sanction raises a significant constitutional issue. "The Governor cannot approve the prosecution of a Chief Minister. If this precedent is set, it could lead to chaos," Sibal said.
The Bench issued notice on Siddaramaiah's appeal challenging a single-judge's decision to uphold the Governor’s sanction. The matter has been posted for further hearing on 25th January 2025.
The case pertains to allegations of corruption involving the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The Governor, Thawar Chand Gehlot, granted sanction on 26th July to prosecute Siddaramaiah based on complaints by activists TJ Abraham, Snehamai Krishna, and Pradeep Kumar SP. The complaints alleged that MUDA granted inflated compensation for 14 parcels of land to Siddaramaiah's wife, Parvathi, in exchange for the development of three acres of land gifted to her by her brother, Mallikarjuna Swamy.
Devaraju, the original owner of the land, expressed distress over being dragged into the case. Represented by Senior Advocate Dushyant Dave, Devaraju urged the court to protect him, arguing that he had no connection to the political controversy.
The Bench assured him, stating, "You are like the lotus in murky water. We'll treat you separately." However, it declined to stay the criminal proceedings against him.
Senior Advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Siddaramaiah, contended that the Governor’s decision violated s.17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act, which mandates prior police inquiry before granting prosecution sanction. Singhvi also argued that the Governor must act on the advice of the council of ministers, barring cases of manifest illegality.
Senior Advocates KG Raghavan and Maninder Singh, representing the complainants, supported the Governor's decision. Meanwhile, the court declined to comment on a plea seeking a CBI probe into the scam, which is scheduled for a hearing on 10th December.
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Madhya Pradesh: BJP leader assaults blind woman in Church
Jabalpur: Anju Bhargava, vice-president of BJP's Jabalpur city unit, has come under sharp scrutiny, creating the ripples of political controvery in Madhya Pradesh, after a video surfaced online showing her physically assaulting a visually impaired woman inside a church.
The New Indian Express has reported that the said incident reportedly took place on Saturday (20 Dec) at a church in the Hawa Bagh area, which comes under the limits of Gorakhpur police station.
The video footage that has circulated widely on Monday shows Anju Bhargava, assaulting the blind woman in the presence of a police officer. In the video, Bhargava is seen shouting at the woman, twisting her arm and forcibly grabbing her face. The victim can be heard pleading to Bhargava to speak to her rather than resorting to physical violence. Also, we can hear Bhargava screaming, “will be blind in her next birth too”
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According to The Indian Express reports, Bhargava entered the church, with members of several Hindutva affiliated organisations, alleging that the visually impaired children were being forced into religious conversion; But, the students present at the church have flatly denied all the allegations.
An unnamed police officer cited in media reports states that there was no evidence to support claims of forced religious conversion. The incident has since intensified political debate in the state, with opposition parties demanding accountability and action against those involved.
