Bengaluru, Dec 7 (IANS): The petitioner in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case allegedly involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, on Saturday claimed that the Advocate General was protecting the accused and not safeguarding the government’s interests.

Petitioner Snehamayi Krishna has written a letter in this regard to Advocate General Shashi Kiran Shetty objecting to his legal opinion given to the Urban Development Secretary regarding the property in survey number 464, located in Kesare village, Kasaba Hobli on the outskirts of Mysuru city.

Krishna stated that he has the copy of the opinion given by the Advocate General to the Secretary of the Urban Development Department and he was surprised by it.

“Being a responsible officer, you have given an opinion which will protect the accused persons. Like a person who is ignorant of the law, you have gone against in terms of protecting the government property and I am seeking clarification and authorised documents in this regard,” Krishna stated in his letter.

“Ours is a democratic country and people are supreme. You have been provided with salary and facilities in the money paid by the public and you are accountable to the people. I am submitting this petition as per the provisions of Article 51A of the Constitution to question your actions and seek action against you,” he stated.

“The law says that property worth more than Rs 100 has to be mandatorily registered. Is it not illegal to transfer property worth over lakhs based on mere statements on white paper? Is it tenable for officers like you to support this?”, Krishna questioned him.

“As per the relinquishment deed, the property rights were transferred to Mylarappa. How can it become property of Ninga aka Javara after 23 years in 1993? In the 1993 statement, there should have been mention of the relinquishment deed of 1968. Isn't concealing this matter and getting a statement against the law? Does this not constitute a crime? Is this statement lawful according to you?” Krishna asked.

He has further questioned how it was possible for the revenue officers to transfer the land in the name of the fourth accused, land owner J. Devaraju.

“A probe will have to be conducted under whose influence all this was done,” Krishna stated in the letter.

“Why have you (Advocate General) not given your opinion to initiate action against officers involved? Isn’t it your duty to give such an opinion? You have stated that allotment of sites to the second accused Parvathi, wife of CM Siddaramaiah is legal.

“Even as the government notification states that land allotments should not be made under the 50:50 ratio, fake allotment letters were made after showing that allotment in 50:50 ratio is allowed. Is it a crime or not?” Krishna demanded.

“The minutes of the meeting were created fraudulently and based on this an allotment letter was created and land allotment was made, is this not a crime? As per the advise given, you opined that allotment of sites to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi is appropriate,” he claimed in the letter.

“There is a rule which says, the allotment has to be made in the locality where the acquired land is located. As per this rule, Parvathi should have given sites in Devanuru third stage locality. Why was she allotted sites in upscale Vijayanagar locality,” Krishna asked.

“All these facts establish that CM Siddaramaiah had got the sites allotted in the name of his wife by using influence when he was the Leader of Opposition,” he alleged.

In his 10-page submission, Krishna warned, “I am conveying that if you do not give clarifications in this regard, it will become inevitable to lodge a complaint against you to appropriate authorities to initiate action.”

The case involves allotment of 14 sites to CM Siddaramaiah’s family by the MUDA in the prime locality of Mysuru city as compensation to their land acquired in Kesare village.

At present, the Karnataka Lokayukta and Enforcement Directorate (ED) are probing the matter.

Petitioner Krishna has made an appeal in the High Court to hand over the case to the CBI.

The ED has recently written a letter to the Lokayukta stating that its probe has found allotments were made illegally.