Republic Impact: MUDA Chief K Marigowda Resigns Amid Land Allotment Row Involving Siddaramaiah

Bangalore: Amid the ongoing investigation in the MUDA Scam case involving Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, the body's chairman, K Marigowda resigned on Wednesday, October 16. 

In a statement, Marigowda who is a close aide to Siddaramaiah cited health issues to be the reason behind his resignation. The statement said, “I resigned due to ill health.” 

Last month Marigowda was admitted to a hospital after he complained of severe discomfort, as per media reports.

The reports suggested that the MUDA former chief showed signs of exhaustion and significant distress while en route to Bengaluru by car. He was initially hospitalised in Bengaluru but was later transferred to Mysuru for specialised treatment.

Both Siddaramaiah and Muda chief Marigowda have come under fire from BJP and opposition following charges in the MUDA land allotment case.

This comes after R Kannada earlier in a major expose accessed over 1,500 pages of exclusive documents that left the Congress government defenceless and resulted in the downfall of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah. 

'Sale Deed Cancelled': MUDA Takes Back 14 Plots Allotted to Siddaramaiah's Wife

The Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in the first week of October decided to take back 14 plots allotted to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi BM, following her decision to relinquish their ownership and possession. The MUDA has ordered the cancellation of the sale deed of these plots.

"Smt. Parvathi's son Dr Yathindra, an MLC, had submitted a letter....we have gone through the provisions in our act. There are provisions in our act to take it when given (back) voluntarily," MUDA Commissioner AN Raghunandan said.

Addressing reporters, he added, "After consulting panel advocates and the legal officer, and after determining that everything is correct, we arrived at a conclusion. So, we have ordered to take it back. We have ordered to cancel the sale deed and handed it over to the sub-registrar."

On Monday, the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR by police, against the Chief Minister over the alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the MUDA.