Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah criticized the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for allegedly attempting to influence the judiciary by writing to the Lokayukta a day before a High Court hearing on a related petition.
Key Points Raised by CM Siddaramaiah
- Siddaramaiah alleged that the ED’s letter to the Lokayukta and its subsequent media leak were politically motivated and intended to prejudice the court.
- He argued that the ED could have submitted its investigation report directly to the Lokayukta post-probe instead of publicizing it prematurely.
- Speaking on the matter, he said:
“The ED had written a letter to the Lokayukta the day before our petition came up for hearing in the High Court with the intention of influencing the court.”
Social Media Reaction
On his X handle, Siddaramaiah wrote:
“The day before our petition came up for hearing in the High Court, ED had written a letter to the Lokayukta with the intention of influencing the court. Writing to Lokayukta and leaking it to the media has political malice behind it.”
Court Directives and Allegations
- Siddaramaiah highlighted that the court has directed the Lokayukta to submit its probe report by December 24.
- The ED, in its communication with the Karnataka Lokayukta, claimed that the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) illegally allocated 1,095 sites, including one to Siddaramaiah’s wife, through benami transactions.
Cabinet Reshuffle Speculations
When asked about potential cabinet reshuffles, Siddaramaiah dismissed the rumors, stating:
“Did I say that the ministerial council will be reshuffled? Even the high command has not given any instruction in this regard.”