The Karnataka High Court has directed the Special People’s Representatives Court to postpone the decision on a private complaint against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and five others until August 29. The complaint, filed by a Special Investigation Squad or another independent investigation agency, alleges the illegal acquisition of 14 plots by the family members of CM Siddaramaiah in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA). This directive provides temporary relief to the Chief Minister, who is at the center of the controversy.
The order was issued by a bench led by Justice M. Nagaprasanna during the hearing of a petition filed by Siddaramaiah challenging the Governor’s action in allowing his prosecution. The petition contends that the Governor’s decision was flawed and seeks to halt further proceedings.
During the hearing, Senior Supreme Court advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, representing the petitioner Siddaramaiah, argued that the Governor’s order permitting the prosecution was riddled with errors. Singhvi pointed out that the final order on petitions submitted to the Special Court of Representatives, which seeks an investigation against Siddaramaiah, is expected to be released on August 20 and 21. He emphasized that the petition submitted to the High Court would lose its validity if these orders were issued. Therefore, he requested a stay on the trial court’s order.
Taking this argument into consideration, the High Court bench acknowledged the need to hear all arguments regarding the petition challenging the Governor’s action. The bench highlighted that an order passed on the private complaint could render the High Court proceedings null and void. As a result, the court directed that the adjudication of the complaint be postponed. The High Court also instructed that no further action be taken based on the Governor’s permission for prosecution, although it clarified that it was not issuing an injunction against the Governor’s order itself. The bench further emphasized that no hasty actions should be taken against the Chief Minister and scheduled the next hearing for August 29.
The hearing of Siddaramaiah’s writ petition in the High Court is pivotal, as it challenges Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot’s decision to allow the prosecution of the Chief Minister in the MUDA case. The court’s instructions to the Special People’s Court to adjourn the hearing until August 29 add a new layer of complexity to the ongoing legal battle.
The lawyer representing the private complainant T J Abraham , provided a media briefing on the arguments presented in the High Court. In the writ petition, the Chief Minister’s legal team has named the government as the first respondent, the Secretary to the Governor as the second respondent, TJ Abraham as the third respondent, and the individuals who filed the private complaints in the Special Court of People’s Representatives as the fourth and fifth respondents.
He explained that Congress leader Siddaramaiah’s legal team has argued that the Governor granted permission for the prosecution in a single day without thoroughly validating the recommendations provided by the state cabinet. Following the hearing, the High Court directed the Special Court to adjourn the case until August 29, ensuring that the matter remains under judicial consideration for the time being. He clarified that the court did not issue stay against the permission of the governor.
