Last update:October 28, 2024, 11:28 am IST

The DE also raided the office and office residence of builder Manjunath in connection with the MUDA case, in which Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah was booked.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah (PTI File)

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday launched fresh searches in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) money laundering case, in which it has named Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

The ED also raided the office of a builder in connection with the MUDA case. Builder Manjunath’s house and office were raided by ED officials on Monday. Other raids are currently underway in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Mandya. Around seven-eight locations in Bengaluru and Mysuru are covered, official sources told news agency PTI.

The federal agency conducted the first round of raids in the case on October 18 when it raided the MUDA office in Mysuru and other locations.

He also questioned some lower-ranking MUDA officials at his zonal office in Bengaluru last week.

The ED has filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book the CM and others taking cognizance of a Lokayukta FIR.

Siddaramaiah is facing Lokayukta and ED probes into alleged irregularities in the allotment of 14 seats to his wife by MUDA.

Siddaramaiah’s wife Parvathi BM, Mallikarjuna Swamy’s brother-in-law Devaraju — from whom Mallikarjuna Swamy bought land and gifted it to Parvathi — and others are named as other accused in the case by the two investigating agencies.

Parvathi was recently questioned by the Lokayukta.

In the MUDA land allotment case, it is alleged that Siddaramaiah’s wife was allotted 14 compensatory plots in an upmarket area of ​​Mysuru (3rd and 4th stages of Vijayanagar development) which had a higher value of of the property compared to the location of her land which had been ‘acquired’ by MUDA.

MUDA allotted plots to Parvathi under a 50:50 ratio in lieu of 3.16 acres of her land where she developed a residential layout. Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 percent of developed land to land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential schemes.

It is alleged that Parvathi had no legal title to this 3.16 acres of land at survey number 464 of Kasare village, Kasaba hobli of Mysuru taluk. After the controversy erupted, Parvathi announced that she was returning the allotted lands to MUDA.

(with PTI inputs)

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