Mysuru urban development body chief Mari Gowda resigned Wednesday – citing health concerns – amid an ongoing state and federal investigation into land scam allegations against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife, and other members of his family.
Mr Gowda was a long-time associate of the Chief Minister and worked with him since 1983; he was made President of the Mysuru Taluk Panchayat in 1995, Vice President of the Zilla Panchayat in 2000, and promoted to the top post eight years later.
Siddaramaiah has not responded to the resignation so far.
The Chief Minister faces cases filed by the Mysuru branch of the Lokayukta, or the state anti-corruption body, and the Enforcement Directorate, a federal agency. He also faces charges of destroying evidence; a complaint to this effect was filed earlier this month with the ED.
Specifically, Siddaramaiah faces claims that his wife was allotted 14 plots of land – which he has said was a gift from her brother – in the upmarket Mysuru area of Vijayanagar as compensation for land elsewhere – holding a far lower value – taken for infrastructure projects.
Anti-corruption activists alleged this caused a loss of Rs 45 crore to the state.
Earlier this month the Mysuru Urban Development Authority agreed to take back those 14 plots from the Chief Minister’s wife, BN Parvathi, but said this would have no bearing on the investigation into the allotments and against the veteran Congress leader.
BN Parvathi had written to MUDA saying she had planned to give up the land earlier but was advised against it as the allegations against her husband are “politically motivated”.
Shortly after her letter, Siddaramaiah said his wife was a “victim of the politics of hatred against me” and had been subject to “psychological torture”. “I respect her decision,” he said.
The MUDA land scam allegations were spotlit after the Karnataka High Court cleared Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s order sanctioning prosecution of the Congress leader.
A trial court framed charges the next day, with the Lokayukta beginning its investigation almost immediately and the Enforcement Directorate filing its case shortly afterwards.
Siddaramaiah has also faced a flood of criticism from the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and its ally, the Janata Dal Secular, which includes demands he resign and for the Central Bureau of Investigation to take over the case. The CBI, however, will need the state government’s permission to do so, since general consent to the federal agency has been withdrawn.
Faced with attacks from the BJP and jabs from within the Congress, Siddaramaiah has, so far, refused to stand down, pointing out he has not been convicted of any charges as yet.
“I will fight. I am not afraid of anything. We are ready to face the investigation. I will fight this legally,” he said after the High Court had quashed his challenge to the Governor’s sanction.
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