Karnataka Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa Responds to Allegations
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 27: Karnataka Upa Lokayukta Justice B Veerappa (Retd) responded to allegations against the Lokayukta, stating that the agency is performing its duties honestly and according to the law. He warned that disrespect towards the Lokayukta could result in legal proceedings.
Justice Veerappa said, “We are doing our job. There is no question of changing our pattern. We have to go by the procedure. We have to proceed carefully as per the law. There is a provision under the Lokayukta Act that if someone insults or disrespects the Lokayukta, we can initiate proceedings against them. If false cases are filed, we can also prosecute them. Lokayukta is doing its job honestly.”
He also mentioned that the matter involving the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case is sub-judice and cannot be commented on.
Investigation Ordered Against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah
On September 25, the Special Court in Bengaluru directed the Karnataka Lokayukta to investigate allegations against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah concerning the illegal allotment of 14 sites worth Rs 56 crore to his wife Parvathi by MUDA. The Mysuru district police will conduct the investigation and submit a report in three months.
This order followed the Karnataka High Court’s decision to vacate its interim stay order on August 19, which had deferred the decision on complaints against Siddaramaiah. It is alleged that MUDA illegally allotted 14 sites to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife in a prime location in Mysuru city.
Karnataka Government Withdraws CBI Consent
Earlier on Thursday, the Karnataka government withdrew its open consent for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct probes in the state.
Doubts Revealed
Karnataka Upa Lokayukta -: The Upa Lokayukta is a deputy ombudsman in Karnataka, a state in India. They help investigate complaints against public officials.
Justice B Veerappa -: Justice B Veerappa is a retired judge who is now serving as the Upa Lokayukta in Karnataka.
Lokayukta -: The Lokayukta is an anti-corruption authority in India that investigates complaints against public officials and government workers.
Special Court -: A Special Court is a type of court that deals with specific types of cases, like corruption or serious crimes.
Bengaluru -: Bengaluru is the capital city of Karnataka, a state in southern India.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah -: Siddaramaiah is a politician who is the Chief Minister of Karnataka, meaning he is the head of the state government.
illegal site allotments -: Illegal site allotments refer to the improper or unlawful distribution of land or property.
MUDA -: MUDA stands for Mysore Urban Development Authority, which is responsible for planning and development in the city of Mysore.
CBI -: CBI stands for Central Bureau of Investigation, which is India’s main investigative agency for serious crimes and corruption.
withdrew consent for CBI probes -: This means the Karnataka government decided not to allow the CBI to investigate cases in the state anymore.