Manas Dasgupta
NEW DELHI, Aug 19: The Karnataka High Court on Monday granted an interim relief to the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah directing the lower courts to defer till August 29 all proceedings on the governor sanctioning prosecution against him in the alleged land compensation case to his wife by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) when he was holding the top post in 2014.
The High Court has fixed the next hearing in the case on August 29.
Siddaramaiah had moved the High Court on Monday seeking interim relief on grounds the Governor’s action was “illegal and without authority of law”, and that allowing his prosecution posed “a grave and imminent risk of irreparable harm (to his) reputation” as well as “disrupt governance… and potentially result in political destabilisation.”
The chief minister told the court that the governor’s move was “in violation of the principles of natural justice.” Under fire from the BJP – which was defeated by the Congress in last year’s Assembly election – Siddaramaiah also warned of “political destabilisation” if the Governor’s order is allowed to stand. The Chief Minister sought an order preventing authorities from further action relating to Mr Gehlot’s order.
In his petition the Chief Minister claimed the Governor’s grant of sanction to prosecute him was “illegal and without authority of law”. Siddaramaiah said Mr Gehlot – whom he earlier called a “puppet” of the centre – had “passed the order without proper application of mind and due consideration of the facts…”
In a strongly-worded petition Siddaramaiah further warned the court that “in the absence of interim relief… there is a grave and imminent risk of irreparable harm (to his) reputation.” Allowing the Governor’s sanction to stand would also lead to “severe prejudice… disrupt governance of the state, and potentially result in political destabilisation”, Siddaramaiah argued. “Such harm, if inflicted, cannot be adequately remedied at a later stage.”
Hours earlier the Chief Minister told reporters he had not done anything illegal in a political career spanning four decades, and expressed confidence the judiciary would come to his aid. The senior Congress leader declared he had been a Chief Minister and a Minister over the course of his career and had “never misused power for personal gains.” He also dismissed protests by the BJP, saying, “In politics it is natural that parties will protest… so let them protest, I am clean.”
On Saturday Siddaramaiah had tweeted calling the Governor’s decision “anti-Constitution” and “against the law”. “It will be questioned in court. I have done no wrong to resign,” he said. A massive row erupted in Karnataka over the weekend after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot sanctioned prosecution of the Chief Minister on corruption charges in connection with the MUDA case after petitions by three activists.
The Governor said his order was necessary to conduct a “neutral, objective, and non-partisan investigation”, adding he was prima facie “satisfied” the alleged infractions were, in fact, committed. The sanction sparked furious protests by the Congress, which on Monday held state-wide protests – dharnas, foot-marches and rallies in district headquarters including Mysuru – against Mr Gehlot.
The BJP has demanded Siddaramaiah – who faces the ruling Congress’ first major challenge since a surprisingly dominant win in the 2023 Assembly election – resign to facilitate the investigation. The alleged MUDA scam focuses on the value of land allotted to the Chief Minister’s wife, Parvathi, in an upmarket area of Mysuru as compensation for land elsewhere taken for infra development.
Siddaramaiah had claimed the land was gifted by his wife’s brother in 1998. However, another activist Snehmayi Krishna alleged the brother had procured it illegally and registered it using forged documents with help from government officials. The land was shown to have been bought in 1998. The Chief Minister’s wife sought compensation in 2014 when Siddaramaiah held the top post.