Karnataka Withdraws CBI Consent Amid Accusations of Bias

Karnataka government withdraws open consent for CBI probes, citing bias. Opposition leaders welcome the decision, claiming central agencies are misused for political vendettas. Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah believes allegations against him are attempts to halt pro-poor schemes.

Rajya Sabha MP Pramod Tiwari praised Karnataka's decision to withdraw consent for CBI probes into the alleged MUDA scam, underscoring long-standing accusations of misuse of central agencies.

Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil labeled the CBI as 'biased,' citing numerous pending and uninvestigated cases as reasons for the withdrawal. He asserted that this move was not specific to the MUDA case but aimed at curbing CBI's alleged misconduct.

Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar echoed Patil's sentiments, stating that the decision aligns with the stance of opposition parties nationwide. CM Siddaramaiah condemned the BJP and JD(S) for targeting his pro-poor initiatives, reiterating his faith in the law. Meanwhile, a special court has directed an investigation into allegations of illegal site allotments involving Siddaramaiah.

(With inputs from agencies.)