Karnataka withdraws general consent for CBI to investigate cases

Bengaluru: In a significant development, following the Special People’s Representative Court’s order to file a First Information Report (FIR) and investigate the role of the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah In the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam case, the state cabinet has decided to withdraw the general order of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct investigations in the state.

Furthermore, the Cabinet has taken another important decision making it mandatory for the ministers and officials to bring the letters received from Raj Bhavan to the notice of the Cabinet, with Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot frequently interfering in the governance.

The ministers and officials were barred from answering the letters received from Raj Bhavan themselves. The Cabinet will discuss such important matters and take a decision.

The above decisions of the state government assume significance as the governor is writing a series of letters seeking clarifications from the government, albeit on different issues. The latest issue deals with Siddaramaiah’s ‘redo’ order in connection with the designation of 547 acres of land in Arkavathy Layout and the report of the Justice H Kemanna Commission set up to probe the alleged irregularities.

The Governor had asked the Principal Secretary to the Government to submit the Kempanna Commission report and documents relating to the process of denotification of Arkavathy Layout lands. Since the governor collects information on a daily basis, officials find themselves in a quandary. If gaps are found in the response, the government may have to address the song. Therefore, the Secretary General was directed by the government to submit such files to the Cabinet.