Karnataka on Thursday withdrew the general consent given to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to probe cases in the southern state, as chief minister Siddaramaiah struck a defiant stance and dismissed the Opposition’s mounting calls for his resignation in connection with a land allotment case.
The state cabinet’s move came a day after a Bengaluru court ordered a Lokayukta probe against Siddaramaiah in connection with land alloted in 2020 to his wife Parvathi in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (Muda), compounding the trouble for the chief minister.
As the political row simmered, the CM dug in his heels, calling the allegations against him a conspiracy by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
“There is no question of resigning, because I have done no wrong. This [case] is a BJP conspiracy. I will not resign. I will fight legally… I have done no wrong, there is no need for me to resign,” he told reporters in Bengaluru.
The Siddaramiah-led cabinet held a meeting in Bengaluru, after which state minister HK Patil said that they have withdrawn the nod given to CBI to investigate cases in the state due to its “misuse” by the central government.
“We are withdrawing open consent for CBI investigation in the state. We are expressing our concerns about the misuse of the CBI. In all the cases we have referred to CBI, they have not filed charge sheets, leaving many cases pending. So, case by case, we will verify and give (consent for CBI probe),” Patil, the state law and parliamentary affairs minister, said.
{{/usCountry}}“We are withdrawing open consent for CBI investigation in the state. We are expressing our concerns about the misuse of the CBI. In all the cases we have referred to CBI, they have not filed charge sheets, leaving many cases pending. So, case by case, we will verify and give (consent for CBI probe),” Patil, the state law and parliamentary affairs minister, said.
{{/usCountry}}Section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, empowers state governments to give or deny consent to CBI to investigate the matters within their boundaries. To be sure, the Supreme Court and high courts can order a CBI investigation without the consent of a state government. Seven states — West Bengal, Telangana, Punjab, Meghalaya, Kerala, Jharkhand, and Tamil Nadu — all ruled by non-BJP parties, have withdrawn general consent to CBI.
HT reached out CBI officials for a response but did not get one immediately.
The land allotment case has become the trigger for a raging political tussle in the state, with the BJP stepping up its attack against the Congress. On Tuesday, the Karnataka high court rejected Siddaramaiah’s petition challenging governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s decision to permit his prosecution in connection with the Muda case. Then on Wednesday, special court judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat issued directions to take up an investigation under Section 156 (3) of the Code of Criminal Procedure which gives a magistrate the power to order an investigation into a cognisable offence, and directed the police to file the investigation report by December 24.
According to people aware of the developments, Siddaramaiah, who is serving his second term as chief minister after winning a sweeping mandate in 2023, is likely to approach a division bench of the high court against the single bench verdict.
The BJP hit out at the state government over the withdrawal of CBI consent. “Siddaramaiah, who weakened the Lokayukta organisation in his first term and was reprimanded by the court, is now showing his Hitler attitude toward CBI and governor, leader of Opposition in the legislative assembly R Ashoka said.
Patil maintained that the decision to withdraw the CBI consent was not influenced by the BJP’s demand for a probe by the central agency in the Muda case. “They (CBI) are biased. That’s why we are taking the decision. It’s not because of the Muda case. We have taken this decision to control them (CBI) from taking the wrong path,” he said.
Deputy chief minister and state Congress president DK Shivakumar rallied behind Siddaramaiah and also ruled out the possibility of the latter’s resignation.
“I’m saying that the proposal for the chief minister to resign won’t come. This is a political conspiracy by the BJP and JD(S). They are unable to digest the benefits of our five guarantee schemes reaching people,” he said, referring to the five poll guarantees that helped the Congress win the Karnataka elections last year.
The BJP continued to mount an attack on the state government, staging a protest at the Vidhana Soudha and demanding Siddaramaih’s resignation.“Two court orders have come against Siddaramaiah. When we first protested inside and outside the assembly, they (the chief minister and Congress) termed it politically motivated, and when the governor order came, they said it was at the behest of the BJP-led government at the Centre. Now, the high court and special court have given orders, they have found truth in allegations and said it needs to be investigated. Siddaramaiah must resign and respectfully cooperate with the investigation,” Ashoka said.