ED conducts raids in MUDA case, raises political temperature in Congress-ruled Karnataka

Bengaluru: The probe into the MUDA ‘scam’ allegedly involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah picked up pace on Friday with the Enforcement Directorate conducting searches in its Mysuru office in a money laundering case linked to irregularities in the allotment of sites, raising political temperature in the Congress-ruled State.

The MUDA office in Mysuru and some other locations including in Bengaluru were raided by the federal probe agency officials, along with an escort of a central paramilitary force, in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case in which it has booked Siddaramaiah, his family members and others, the sources said.

No premises of the CM or his family were covered, they said.

“ED probe team has come, we will provide whatever information they ask,” MUDA Secretary Prasanna Kumar told reporters in Mysuru. “They have said that they will work here today and tomorrow. Whoever from staff they may want (to meet), we will call them and provide them the information.”

On September 30, the ED filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) to book the CM and others taking cognisance of a recent Lokayukta FIR.

The CM is facing allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife B M Parvathi by the MUDA.

Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress chief D K Shivakumar said the ED action was only an exercise to gather information, collect documents related to the case and verify them.

“ED can gather information. Why do you call it a raid? They may be seeking documents, which can be provided. Where is injustice in that?” Shivakumar told reporters here.

His brother and former MP, D K Suresh, termed it a “politically-motivated raid” in connection with a “politically-motivated case.” Urban Development Minister Suresha B S (Byrathi Suresh) said the MUDA would provide all documents to the ED as sought by it.

“Whatever documents are sought, MUDA will give….ED is said to have got powers to raid after ECIR being booked (against the CM), whatever documents they ask MUDA will give, there is no question of us getting involved in this, officials will provide documents,” Suresh, under whose department MUDA comes, said.

Welcoming the ED raids, opposition BJP and JD(S) in Karnataka asserted that it was necessary to unearth the “scam” and to bring out the truth.

Leaders from the two parties argued that a fair probe into the case was not possible by the Lokayukta police, who work under the State government.

Terming MUDA case as “worst scam” by usurping government land, Union Minister and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said: “Let’s see what comes out from the ED probe.”

Siddaramaiah, his wife, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and Devaraju — from whom Swamy had purchased a land and gifted it to Parvathi — and others have been named in the FIR registered by the Mysuru-located Lokayukta police establishment on September 27.

According to sources, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel have been deployed at MUDA office in Mysuru, where the entry of the public has been restricted.

ED officials also conducted searches at Devaraju’s residence at Kengeri here, sources said.

The CM had denied any wrongdoing by him or his family, saying the opposition was “scared” of him and had noted that it is the first such “political case” against him.