ED Conducts Searches In Karnataka MUDA Case, RTI Activist Gangaraju Appears For Questioning

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah faces investigations by the ED and Lokayukta over alleged irregularities in MUDA land allotments, prompting fresh searches in the case.

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday conducted searches across nine locations in Mysore and Bengaluru in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) linked money laundering case in which Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has already been booked, official sources said.

Among the locations raided include a builder's residence in Bengaluru's Dollars Colony, JP Nagar, Sadashiva Nagar and other places.

Complainant RTI activist Gangaraju appeared at the ED office in Shantinagar for questioning. He said, "I was issued a notice on October 22 to attend the inquiry. However, as the notice reached me at 4 pm on October 23, I asked for time. Accordingly, I was directed to attend the inquiry later. Thus I came here today."

He further said, "I told that the document related to the case contains thousands of pages, including the 50:50 ratio scam. ED officials have also asked me for other related documents."

Earlier the agency had conducted raids on October 18 when it searched the MUDA office in Mysuru and some other locations. Six officials of MUDA were interrogated at the ED office in Bengaluru on Saturday. Later on, the agency inspected documents for 72 hours and some of those were seized.

It also questioned some lower-rank officials of the MUDA at its Bengaluru zonal office last week.

An enforcement case information report (ECIR) was filed by ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Siddaramaiah is facing Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the MUDA.

Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi B M, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, Devaraju -- from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy purchased land and gifted it to Parvathi -- and others are named as other accused in the case by the two probe agencies.

Parvathi was recently questioned by the Lokayukta.

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