K’taka CM’s wife admits to putting whitener on letter to MUDA

Mysuru (Karnataka): During a three hour grilling session by the Karnataka Lokayukta that is probing the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi admitted that she had put whitener on the letter submitted to the authority, sources said on Saturday.

CM Siddaramaiah is the first accused in the case and his wife is the second accused.

Parvathi appeared before the office of the Mysuru Lokayukta, SP T.J. Udesha on Friday.

The statements of the CM’s wife were recorded on video camera.

During the investigation she clarified that she had put the whitener on the letter submitted to the MUDA regarding the allotment of compensatory sites.

She had maintained that as there was a mistake in the sentence she had to use the whitener.

She further maintained she doesn’t remember exactly what the mistake was.

It was alleged that the whitener was put on the submitted letter after the MUDA case came to light to hide the fact that the sites were demanded to be allotted in upscale Vijayanagara locality of Mysuru.

Sources stated that she was questioned about the disputed property of 3.16 acres at Kesare village on the outskirts of the village and her letters submitted towards allotment of 14 sites as compensation.

The CM’s wife said that she does not put her signatures regularly on documents and hence her signature varies a little.

She further informed the Lokayukta that she had not seen the land after it was gifted to her and paid a visit to the property after three-four years.

Parvathi was given a notice on Thursday evening to appear for the questioning.

She arrived at the Lokayukta office accompanied by a family friend.

Parvathi was also asked about how many letters she had submitted to the MUDA for compensation.

She has maintained that five to six letters were given and she doesn’t know the exact numbers.

Parvathi told the Lokayukta that she had not asked for sites at a particular location and added that the land was a gift from her parent’s side and petitioned the Lokayukta as her land was acquired.

The Lokayukta had grilled CM Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law, third accused Mallikarjuna Swamy and fourth accused, land owner J. Devaraju recently.

The Karnataka Lokayukta is investigating the case after registering the FIR following the Special Court’s order.

CM Siddaramaiah has challenged the court order in the Division Bench of the Karnataka High Court.

On the other hand, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also investigating the case and raided the MUDA office in Mysuru for two days and the residence of Devaraju in Bengaluru.

IANS