HD Kumaraswamy Denies Role in Mining Land Allotment Case
Bengaluru, Karnataka
Union Minister and JDS leader HD Kumaraswamy has responded to the Karnataka Lokayukta’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) letter seeking permission to file a chargesheet against him in an alleged mining land allotment case. Kumaraswamy stated that he had no involvement in the case and accused the Congress government of trying to tarnish his reputation.
Allegations and Enquiry
Kumaraswamy explained that since 2011, there have been allegations that he favored Sai Venkateshwara during his tenure as Chief Minister in 2007 and collected 150 crores from mining owners. He requested an inquiry by the Lokayukta, which began in 2011 and submitted its report to the government in 2010 or 2011. He emphasized that there was no loss to the exchequer and no mining area had been allocated to anyone.
Supreme Court Involvement
He further mentioned that the Supreme Court directed an inquiry in 2014-15, during Siddaramaiah’s tenure as Chief Minister. The court ordered the inquiry to be completed within three months, but the SIT has not yet finished the investigation. Kumaraswamy noted that the SIT has only filed status reports and that the Congress government, after coming to power in 2023, requested the governor to sanction the chargesheet against him.
Governor’s Decision
The governor, after a thorough study, found some controversy regarding the signature on the file and directed the case to be reviewed again. Kumaraswamy reiterated that he had no role in the case and accused the current government of trying to malign him.
Allegations Against CM Siddaramaiah
Kumaraswamy also accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s family of misusing the office to acquire land. He claimed that Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law fabricated documents to acquire land belonging to MUDA.
CM Siddaramaiah’s Response
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah responded by questioning the governor’s decision to grant immediate permission to prosecute him in the alleged MUDA scam while delaying action in Kumaraswamy’s case. He accused the governor of discrimination and noted that the Lokayukta SIT had sought permission for prosecution against Kumaraswamy but received no action from the governor.
Doubts Revealed
HD Kumaraswamy -: HD Kumaraswamy is a politician from Karnataka, a state in India. He has served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka.
Mining Land Allotment Case -: This refers to a situation where land is given out for mining purposes. There were allegations that this was done improperly during Kumaraswamy’s time as Chief Minister.
Congress -: Congress is one of the major political parties in India. In this context, it refers to the party that was in power and is being accused by Kumaraswamy.
Union Minister -: A Union Minister is a member of the central government in India, responsible for specific departments or ministries.
Chief Minister -: The Chief Minister is the head of the government in an Indian state, similar to a governor in the United States.
2007 -: This is the year when the alleged mining land allotment case took place during Kumaraswamy’s tenure as Chief Minister.
Lokayukta -: Lokayukta is an anti-corruption ombudsman organization in Indian states. It investigates allegations of corruption and misuse of power by public officials.
Exchequer -: The exchequer refers to the government’s treasury or funds. In this context, it means that no government money was lost.
Siddaramaiah -: Siddaramaiah is another politician from Karnataka who has also served as the Chief Minister of the state.
Governor -: The Governor is the head of a state in India, appointed by the President of India. The Governor has various powers, including handling certain legal matters.
