MUDA Case: Karnataka High Court Issues Notice To CM Siddaramiah, Others On Appeal Against Order Rejecting Transfer Of Probe To CBI

The Karnataka High Court on Wednesday issued notice to Chief Minister Siddaramiah, his wife Parvathy and others on an appeal preferred by Snehamayi Krishna challenging an order rejecting his plea for transfer of Lokayukta police's investigation into alleged Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) "scam", to the CBI. 

A division bench of Chief Justice N V Anjaria and Justice K V Aravind said “Notice to respondents returnable on April 28. Since it was stated that appeals connected to the subject matter controversy are slated to be listed on that day.”

The single judge, while rejecting the petition on February 7, had in its order held “The Lokayukta/office of the Lokayukta does not suffer from questionable independence. The insulation of the institution from external influences is already recognized by the Apex Court and the Division Bench of this Court.”

Further it had said “The material on record, on its perusal, nowhere indicates that the investigation conducted by the Lokayukta is partisan, lopsided or shoddy for reference to the CBI for further investigation or re investigation". 

During the hearing today the court queried whether an appeal against a single judge order in a petition filed under Article 226 was maintainable. It said “What are the yardsticks to judge whether the appeal is maintainable?".

Senior Advocate K G Raghavan appearing for the appellant submitted that “I am asking for a mandamus not challenging an order of a court.”

Further the court indicated that the matter would be required to be heard independently and the issue of maintainability would have to be satisfied.

Raghavan submitted that the appeal filed challenging a single judge order upholding the sanction issued by Governor to prosecute the respondents is scheduled to be heard on April 28. He said “The question of referring the matter to CBI would not arise if this court allows the appeal challenging the single judge order upholding the Governor's sanction to prosecute.”

The matter is next listed on April 28. 

Case Title: Snehamayi Krishna AND Union of India & Others

Case No: WA 333/2025.