Karnataka Launches Inquiry Into Mysuru Land Scam; CM Siddaramaiah Remains Defensive

On Sunday, the Karnataka government announced the formation of an inquiry commission to investigate the alleged alternative site scam within the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA). The commission will be led by retired High Court judge Justice P N Desai.

The official order mandates that the commission complete its investigation and submit a report to the state government within six months. It also requires the cooperation of relevant departments and MUDA officials, who must provide necessary documents and information to Justice Desai.

This directive was issued late Sunday night, just before the start of the Legislature session scheduled from July 15 to July 26.

The controversy intensified after the BJP accused Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife, Parvathi, of benefiting from alternative site allocations. Siddaramaiah firmly denied these allegations, explaining that MUDA had "illegally" taken over four acres of land belonging to his wife and developed it into a layout without her consent. In compensation, MUDA provided alternative plots to them.

The BJP has questioned the legitimacy of Siddaramaiah's claims, raising concerns about how MUDA could interfere with such a "high profile" property. The party has estimated the scale of the scam to be around ₹3,000 crore and staged a demonstration in Mysuru on Friday.

The inquiry commission's formation aims to bring clarity and accountability to the issue, as the state government seeks to address the accusations and provide a transparent resolution.