Lokayukta Police question CM’s wife Parvathi for three hours

Mysuru: Mysuru Lokayukta Police yesterday questioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife, B.M. Parvathi, in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case.

“Parvathi was summoned and questioning lasted over three hours,” confirmed Lokayukta Superintendent of Police T.J. Udesh.

The Lokayukta Police had issued a notice requiring Parvathi to appear for questioning. She arrived at the Lokayukta Office on Dewan’s Road around 10 am and remained until approximately 1 pm. Sources report that Parvathi provided all requested documents, answered each question, and fully cooperated with the inquiry while officials recorded her statement.

Question of legal ownership

The case involves allegations that 14 compensatory sites in the upmarket Vijayanagar Third and Fourth Stages were allocated to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio scheme. These sites, valued significantly higher, were reportedly provided in exchange for 3.16 acres of land in Kesare village that MUDA acquired without following due land acquisition procedures.

The controversial scheme allows MUDA to allot 50 percent of developed land to landowners in return for their undeveloped land used for residential layouts. Complainant Snehamayi Krishna alleges that Parvathi lacked legal ownership of the 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 in Kesare.

Following a Sept. 25 order from the Special Court for Elected Representatives in Bengaluru, the Lokayukta Police registered an FIR on Sept. 27 against Siddaramaiah (Accused-1), his wife Parvathi (A-2), brother-in-law B.M. Mallikarjunaswamy (A-3) and J. Devaraju (A-4) — from whom Mallikarjunaswamy purchased land later gifted to Parvathi.

Land conversion row

According to the complaint, Devaraju sold the land to Mallikarjunaswamy on Aug. 25, 2004, after which it was converted from agricultural to non-agricultural use. On Oct. 6, 2010, Mallikarjunaswamy gifted this land to his sister, Parvathi.  Beginning in 2014, Parvathi submitted multiple representations to MUDA, requesting compensation for the acquired land. On Dec. 12, 2021, then MUDA Commissioner Dr. D.B. Natesh allotted her 14 compensatory sites in a developed area under a 50:50 ratio scheme. Following the ensuing political controversy and Enforcement Directorate involvement, Parvathi returned all the sites to MUDA on Oct. 1. The Additional District Registrar’s Office processed and officially returned the sites to MUDA on Oct. 3.

Six questioned so far

In this ongoing case, the Lokayukta Police have so far questioned Parvathi, Mallikarjunaswamy, and Devaraju. Parvathi’s questioning occurred after the questioning of former Additional Deputy Commissioner of Mysuru S. Palaiah, who served as Headquarters’ Assistant under then-Deputy Commissioner G. Kumar Naik in 2005, the current Raichur Congress MP Kumar Naik also appeared before the Lokayukta Police recently.