Offered crores to withdraw plea for CBI probe, alleges MUDA case petitioner

Bengaluru (The Uttam Hindu): The petitioner in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Snehamayi Krishna, claimed on Wednesday that he is being offered large sums of money to withdraw his petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case. The development has assumed importance as the Karnataka High Court is taking up a hearing into the petition seeking a CBI probe into the MUDA case on December 19. Krishna lodged a complaint with the Karnataka Lokayukta on Wednesday in this regard and urged the Investigating Officer to look into the matter. He has also provided a copy of a purported CCTV footage showing one Harsha claiming to be the personal assistant of CM Siddaramaiah’s wife, approaching his family. “One Harsha, claiming to be the personal assistant of CM Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi, approached me through a known person, Srinidhi, and asked me to cooperate regarding the MUDA case. When I refused, Harsha came near my residence, spoke to my son, and tried to lure him with the offer of any amount of quoted money,” Krishna alleged in the plaint.

“On December 13 at 12 noon, when I was at the MUDA office, Srinidhi brought Harsha along and introduced him as the personal assistant of CM Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi. Srinidhi told me that Harsha wanted to speak to me personally,” Krishna claimed. “Harsha immediately fell at my feet and said that Parvathi is mentally distressed and unable to sleep or eat. He claimed that she called him at midnight, saying she cannot sleep and is being mentally tortured because of the MUDA case. Harsha pleaded with me not to have the MUDA case handed over to the CBI, suggesting instead that the Lokayukta conduct the investigation. He folded his hands and requested my help,” Krishna alleged. “I told him that there was no question of backtracking. I have taken up the legal battle, and if she has any issues, she should pursue them through legal means,” he stated. Krishna said that Harsha claimed that Parvathi amma had no role in the matter and explained that the situation arose due to blind trust in Devaraju (the landowner and fourth accused) and Mallikarjuna Swamy (the third accused and CM’s brother-in-law). He said that Harsha mentioned during the meeting that one C.T. Kumara had advised writing letters and, in some instances, signed letters on behalf of ‘amma’ and sought help. “I advised Harsha to lodge a police complaint regarding this. Despite pressure, I did not agree and walked away,” he claimed in the complaint. “The next day, on December 14, Chamundeshwari Temple Authority Secretary M.J. Roopa filed a false case against me at the K.R. Police Station in Mysuru. After learning that the police were planning to arrest me, I switched off my mobile phone and went to Bengaluru to meet my advocates,” he stated.

“My son later told me that Harsha and Srinidhi had come to our residence and asked him to convince me to withdraw the petition seeking the CBI probe. They told him they would fall at my feet and my wife’s feet on behalf of Parvathi. Harsha also said he could offer any amount of money I quoted,” Krishna alleged. “When my son refused, they took him in a car and claimed that the condition of the CM’s wife had turned serious. They told him they had already spoken to activist Gangaraju and convinced him with a payment of Rs 3 crore. They also claimed that Rs 1.5 crore had already been paid and showed a video of a bag full of money on Harsha’s mobile phone. Harsha requested my son to let him meet my wife so that they could plead with her directly,” Krishna claimed. “They assured my son that I would not be arrested and that a B-report would be filed on the FIR filed against me. They took my son’s mobile number and left. Later, Srinidhi and Harsha called my son multiple times,” he charged. “This is a serious issue. Harsha’s mobile phones should be seized, and CM Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi should be questioned. They should be directed not to approach my family in the future by any means,” he demanded in the complaint. “The accused fear that they will be caught if the case is handed over to the CBI,” Snehamayi Krishna said. The MUDA case involves the alleged illegal allotment of 14 sites to Siddaramaiah's family by the MUDA. Following the allegations, Siddaramaiah's family returned the sites. At present, the Karnataka Lokayukta and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing the matter.