In a significant development, a special court designated for criminal cases involving elected officials has accepted a closure report filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta Police, effectively dismissing a bribery case against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. The case stemmed from accusations made by a BJP leader who alleged that Siddaramaiah accepted Rs 1.3 crore during his previous tenure as Chief Minister in return for favoring an appointment at the Bengaluru Turf Club (BTC).
The court’s decision, dated January 18, followed a comprehensive review of the investigation led by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Karnataka Lokayukta, Bengaluru. The court stated, “The closure report filed by the Deputy Superintendent of Police, Karnataka Lokayukta, Bengaluru, dated 12.9.2024, is hereby accepted.”
Despite findings that Siddaramaiah had indeed received the sum of Rs 1,30,00,000 from L Vivekananda, the court determined there was insufficient evidence to prove this transaction was a quid pro quo for the BTC stewardship. This ruling came after the special court had previously directed the Lokayukta police to re-investigate the allegations, which ultimately led to the filing of the closure report.
