सिद्धारमैया की बढ़ी मुश्किलें, 68 करोड़ रुपये से अधिक की धोखाधड़ी

Siddaramaiah's troubles increase, fraud of more than Rs 68 crore

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's troubles have increased further. Another private complaint has been filed against him and others in the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru. It alleges that fraud of more than Rs 68 crore has been committed against the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike. Senior BJP leader and RTI activist NR Ramesh on Friday petitioned the court to allow filing of a criminal case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others. The petitioner has also made Energy Minister KJ George, then Principal Secretary Lakshminarayanan, then Principal Secretary Major P. Manivannan and then BBMP Commissioner Manjunath Prasad and others parties to the case.

Ramesh has submitted a memorandum of complaint under Section 223 of the Indian Civil Defence Code. The complainant on Friday said, "Complaints were filed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau and Lokayukta agencies against the Siddaramaiah government during Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's previous tenure 2013-2018. The petition is regarding the misuse of 493 bus shelters owned by the BBMP by the state government to promote the achievements of the Siddaramaiah government, while not paying the fee of Rs 68.14 crore to the BBMP." Ramesh said, "Complaints were filed with the ACB and Lokayukta on the basis of records, alleging that from 2015 to 2017, the Siddaramaiah government used 493 bus shelters of the BBMP for promotional activities, while not paying a single penny as advertising fee." He said the BBMP, which has limited revenue sources like property tax, map approval fee, trade licence fee, road digging fee and advertisement fee, spends at least Rs 10,000 crore annually on salaries of its officers/employees and maintenance of parks, street lights and damaged roads. As such, after a complaint was filed with the ACB and Lokayukta, the then Special Commissioner (Finance) of the BBMP issued a 'demand notice' on July 5, 2017 to the then Siddaramaiah-led state government to pay a total of Rs 12.98 crore to the BBMP. However, the Siddaramaiah government ignored the demand notice, Ramesh alleged. He alleged that after Siddaramaiah became the chief minister for the second time, under his influence and pressure, the Lokayukta police closed the complaint related to the Rs 68.14 crore scam in advertisement fee paid by the Siddaramaiah government to the BBMP on July 26, 2024, without any notification.

Despite providing the entire record related to this huge scam, the Lokayukta police closed the case, allegedly under pressure from CM Siddaramaiah and showing bias. Opposing this move, a "private complaint" has been filed in the "Special Court for People's Representatives", Ramesh said in his petition. He said a private complaint register has been filed in the court seeking an "order of inquiry" against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others. CM Siddaramaiah is facing allegations in the Mysore Urban Development Authority case and has approached the High Court for relief against the order of prosecution against him by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot. The court has reserved the case till further orders.