A special court designated to handle criminal cases involving elected representatives has accepted the closure report submitted by the Karnataka Lokayukta police in a bribery case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The case stemmed from allegations by a BJP leader, who claimed that Siddaramaiah received Rs 1.3 crore during his previous tenure as Chief Minister in return for appointing a steward at the Bengaluru Turf Club (BTC).
On January 18, the court ruled, “The closure report filed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Karnataka Lokayukta, Bengaluru, dated 12.9.2024, is hereby accepted.” The court also pointed out that although records showed that “Accused No.1 Mr. Siddaramaiah had received a sum of Rs 1,30,00,000 from Accused No.2 L Vivekananda, the same can’t be held to be an act of quid pro quo towards his nomination as Steward of BTC.”
The case initially gained attention when the BJP leader accused Siddaramaiah of engaging in a corrupt deal during his earlier term as Chief Minister. The alleged exchange involved a sum of money being provided in return for securing a prestigious position at the Turf Club.
This accusation prompted the special court to instruct the Lokayukta police to reopen the investigation and further probe the matter.
Following the inquiry, the Lokayukta police concluded their investigation and filed a closure report.
After reviewing the findings, the special court has now formally accepted the report, closing the case. While the court acknowledged the financial transaction, it clarified that there was no definitive evidence of a direct quid pro quo linked to Siddaramaiah’s nomination for the BTC post.
The closure of this case comes after a lengthy legal process, with the special court now bringing an end to the investigation, thereby clearing the Chief Minister of any criminal wrongdoing in this particular instance.
Despite the allegations, the ruling emphasizes that the facts did not establish a direct connection between the monetary exchange and the appointment in question.
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