Sanjay Raut accuses BJP of pressuring K'taka Guv over MUDA scam prosecution against Siddaramaiah

Sanjay Raut/ ANI screengrab

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut on Friday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of exerting pressure on the Karnataka Governor to initiate prosecution against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the MUDA scam. Raut, whose party is part of the INDIA coalition with the Congress, backed Siddaramaiah and chastised the BJP for targeting the Karnataka Chief Minister because of his political affiliation, reported ANI.

Raut, while speaking to news agency ANI, said "The party in which the corrupt from all over the country get royal shelter wants to prosecute the CM of Karnataka because it has a Congress government, it is pressuring the Governor for the same. You jailed the CMs of Delhi and Jharkhand. The people snatched your majority, and you are still not learning. What kind of mischief is this?"

Reportedly, Raut asked why the BJP did not look into corruption charges against previous Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa before focussing on Siddaramaiah. "Why was Yediyurappa released? He has all kinds of corruption cases against him. First, they should act against Yediyurappa and then speak of justice or injustice with Siddaramaiah," Raut said.

MUDA scam: Karnataka withdraws consent for CBI to undertake probes in state

Meanwhile, the Karnataka government has withdrawn its open consent for the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to undertake investigations in the state, which Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar claimed was done to prevent the CBI from abusing its powers.

Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil reiterated this sentiment, accusing the CBI of prejudice and noting a failure to press charges in numerous cases referred by the state, the report added.

"It is not just Karnataka, the entire opposition parties across the country have taken this decision, in view of that, the Karnataka government has also taken this decision. We don't want the CBI to misuse its power," Shivakumar told ANI.

"We are withdrawing open consent for CBI investigation in the state. We are expressing our concerns about the misuse of the CBI. In all the cases we have referred to the CBI, they have not filed charge sheets, leaving many cases pending. They have also refused to investigate several cases we have sent. There are numerous such instances. They are biased. That's why we are taking the decision. It's not because of the MUDA case. We have taken this decision to control them (CBI) from taking the wrong path," Patil said, addressing a press conference.

MUDA scam: Bengaluru court orders probe against Siddaramaiah

This verdict comes after a Special Court in Bengaluru ordered an investigation against Siddaramaiah regarding suspected anomalies in site allotment by the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA).