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Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Tuesday questioned the ED slapping a money laundering case against him in the MUDA 'scam' and once again ruled out his resignation over the issue.
Siddaramaiah also alleged that his wife Parvathi B M, who decided to relinquish the ownership and possession of 14 plots that was allotted to her by the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority), was a victim of ‘politics of hate' against him and he was surprised by her move.
A team of Lokayukta police probing MUDA site allotment case against Siddaramaiah and others on Tuesday surveyed the land, in lieu of which 14 sites were "illegally" allotted to his wife in Mysuru.
Hours after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) booked Siddaramaiah in a money laundering case, his wife on Monday wrote to MUDA conveying her decision to return the 14 plots stating that no site, home, asset and wealth is bigger for her than her husband's respect, dignity, honour and peace of mind.
"I don't know on what grounds it's a money-laundering case. Probably you (reporters) too feel the same. According to me, it does not attract the money laundering case because compensatory sites were given. So, how is it a money-laundering case?", the chief minister said.
The ED registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR by the police, against the chief minister over the alleged irregularities in allotment of 14 sites to his wife by MUDA. The agency had also invoked relevant sections of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) case against him.
Meanwhile, the Lokayukta police team that visited the 3.16 acre land was joined by the special land acquisition officer, surveyors and town planning members from MUDA, and they surveyed the land and took notes, official sources said.
Social activist Snehamayi Krishna on whose complaint the Lokayukta police has registered an FIR against Siddaramaiah, his wife and two others, was also present, they said, adding, he also appeared before the Lokayukta police in Mysuru, following the notice issued to him by the investigating officers.
Parvathi's letter conveying her a decision to return the plots, was personally submitted to MUDA Commissioner A N Raghunandan's office by her son and MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah, in Mysuru on Tuesday. "The letter received will be processed after going through the provisions in the law," a MUDA official said.
The chief minister said: “My stand was to fight without bowing down to this injustice but my wife, who is upset with the political conspiracy going on against me, has taken a decision to return these sites, which has surprised me too.”
”My wife, who never interfered in my four decades long politics and was confined to her family, is a victim of the politics of hate against me and is suffering psychological torture. I am anguished. However, I respect my wife's decision to return the plots,” he added.
Ruling out the possibility of his resignation, Siddaramaiah said: "I work with conscience. So there is no need for me to resign."
On the BJP's contention that the offer to surrender the sites by his wife amounts to accepting the wrongdoing in the case, the chief minister said: "How is it a crime or even a confession when someone decides to discard something saying that they don't want the controversy? The opposition party leaders are 'Vishwaguru' in lies."
"Will the case be closed after I resign? They are unnecessarily demanding my resignation. Why should I resign when I have not committed any wrong?" he asked.
Earlier in the day, state BJP chief B Y Vijayendra said Parvathi's decision to surrender the plots amounts to the chief minister's official acceptance of wrongdoing in the MUDA 'scam' and demanded his immediate resignation.
He termed her move a "political drama" and alleged that it was aimed at "escaping from legal hurdles", adding, Siddarmaiah should step down as chief minister.
Noting that when the Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot gave approval for investigation based on private complaints against the chief minister, the Congress president, ministers and leaders had made allegations that his decision was politically motivated and that he was acting as the puppet in the hands of the central government, Vijayendra demanded that before resigning as chief minister, Siddaramaiah should apologise to the governor.
He also urged the home minister and the director general of police to immediately ensure proper police security to Snehamayi Krishna on whose complaint the Lokayukta police has registered an FIR against Siddaramaiah, his wife and two others, claiming that there were reports about "conspiracies" against him.
Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday alleged political motive behind the ED case against the chief minister, as he cited the Prime Minister Narendra Modi raising the MUDA case during a recent election rally in poll-bound Haryana. "Our allegation is that there is an intention to destabilise the Congress government here out of political malice."
He said: "Let's wait and see what happens legally, after his (Siddaramaiah’s) wife returns the sites to MUDA."
Asked whether returning the sites means accepting wrongdoing, the home minister said: "No, the reason for returning the sites have been clearly cited... sometimes, though late, decisions will be right."
He also said the Congress party and all 136 MLAs stood by the CM.