The Enforcement Directorate (ED) logo.
Credit: PTI File Photo
Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate on Monday undertook fresh searches in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) linked money laundering case in which it has booked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, official sources said.
About seven-eight premises in Bengaluru and Mysuru are being covered, the sources said.
Officials in Mysuru clarified that the searches were not directly linked to the issue of Siddaramaiah and allotment of alternative sites on 50:50 basis, but regarding ‘settlement deed’, another mode that was allegedly misused to favour a few individuals, for allotment of MUDA sites.
The federal agency had conducted the first round of raids in this case on October 18 when it searched the MUDA office in Mysuru and some other locations.
It also questioned some lower-rank officials of the MUDA at its Bengaluru zonal office last week.
The ED has filed a enforcement case information report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book the CM and others taking cognisance of a Lokayukta FIR.
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.
With DHNS inputs