BENGALURU: Union Minister of State for Railways and Jal Shakti V Somanna, known for his camaraderie with leaders across party lines, turned well-wisher for Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the MUDA case here on Monday. They exchanged pleasantries at Ramanashree Hotel premises, where the release of a book was scheduled.
Even as the curious audience and VIP guests were all ears, Somanna stunned everyone, including Siddaramaiah, by casually picking on the MUDA scam case and claiming to have advised the latter to surrender 14 sites to MUDA to avoid any controversy. “When it comes to Siddaramanna’s issue, mine is straightforward talk. I don’t know how to scare him (Siddaramaiah) like others do. Would all this have happened if you had listened to me? All this would not have happened if you had returned the sites then,” Somanna told CM to his face.
Somanna and CM Siddaramaiah had met on Monday in Ramanashree Hotel premises in Bengaluru. Siddaramaiah, who is himself a lawyer, was taken aback by Somanna’s words. “The BJP is lying. Tell me about the Land Acquisition Act and don’t talk about something without knowledge,” he retorted, defending his decisions on the MUDA case. He is facing a Lokayukta police inquiry and has already attended a hearing.
Siddaramaiah’s wife BM Parvathi surrendered 14 sites to MUDA, coinciding with the ED filing an Enforcement Case Information Report against her.
Siddaramaiah, Bommai share bonhomie
After an intense campaign in the Shiggaon bypoll, CM Siddaramaiah and Haveri MP Basavaraj Bommai shared the dais and shared light moments at the Ramanashree Sharana Prashasti award function, organised by Akhila Bharat Sharana Sahitya Parishat. Siddaramaiah wished nonagenarian Go Ru Channabasappa, 95, a longer life.
“I too wish to live for 100 years but for me and Basavaraj Bommai, being diabetics, it is difficult to maintain our health given our hectic schedules,” he remarked.
“The caste system still exists today and a humane society is needed to eradicate it. Everyone should have equal opportunities,” he said, while releasing the book ‘Kshana hottu Animuthu’ part-14 authored by S Shadakshari.
Muda probe: CM's brother-in-law appears before ED
BENGALURU: Mallikarjuna Swamy, brother-in-law of CM Siddaramaiah, appeared before ED officials at the agency’s office in Shantinagar here on Monday. Swamy was summoned in connection with the MUDA case. He is accused no. 3 in the money laundering case registered by the ED, in connection with the land allotment case.
On September 30, the ED had registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, against Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy BM, Mallikarjuna Swamy, and Devaraju, who sold the land to Swamy. The money laundering case was registered, taking cognisance of the FIR filed against Siddaramaiah by the Lokayukta on September 27, over the alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 sites to Parvathy by MUDA.
Swamy was summoned by the ED to know when and how he purchased the land from Devaraju, and when he gifted it to his sister, Parvathy, and the type of transaction involved in the purchase of the land.