Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a case on Monday (September 30) against Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, his wife B.M. Parvati and others, alleging money laundering in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam.
The ED has invoked sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book Siddaramaiah and others in its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, The Hindu reported. This empowers the agency to summon the accused for questioning and potentially attach their assets during the investigation.
This move follows a recent FIR registered by the Mysuru-based Lokayukta police on September 27.
Meanwhile, Parvathi has surrendered the 14 sites in question to MUDA after the ED filed the case. She wrote to the MUDA commissioner asking him to take immediate action to cancel the title deeds and underlined that the decision is of her own.
In a press release, the chief minister’s wife underlined that she was “determined to give back these sites to MUDA in order to secure mental peace” of her husband and demanded an “impartial enquiry into the entire MUDA scam”.
“My husband has been in public life without any black dot or remark since 40 years. I restrained myself throughout from public appearance and political forums not to cause embarrassment to his political carrier. I never aspired for gold, money or any kind of materialistic wealth. I was very concerned and conscious about his political image and conducted myself to protect him from any dent. I was immensely happy and proud from far off seeing people’s love and affection he was getting from across. Despite all this, I never imagined even in my dream that these 14 sites, given as compensation in lieu of the land acquired by MUDA and later gifted to me by my brother would create such a havoc in facing these allegations against him,” Parvathi wrote in a press note.
She added: “I never aspired for any of this nor this wealth is of any importance to me than my husband’s peace and self respect. So, I decided to surrender these 14 sites which are of no value for me than my husband’s self respect. If anyone asks me as to why am I surrendering these sites now, I had in fact decided to do this then only, but gave up this thought as my well wishers advised me not to fall prey to their conspiracy, but to take up a legal fight for justice. Now, I am determined to give back these sites to MUDA in order to secure mental peace of my husband and strongly demand an impartial enquiry into the entire MUDA scam. At the end, I would draw the attention of the media and journalists to protect the interest of females of political families from getting dragged into these kind of uncalled for embarrassing situations.”
The allegations centre on the allotment of 14 compensatory sites to Parvathi by MUDA in a prime locality in Mysuru. The sites were allocated under a 50:50 ratio scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of land, which was supposedly developed into a residential layout. The allocated land allegedly had a significantly higher property value. Further, it is alleged that Parvathi did not hold legal title to the 3.16-acre land in question.
Activist Snehamayi Krishna filed a private complaint, raising concerns about the legality of the site allotment process.
Also read: ED Lodged 132 Money Laundering Cases Against Politicians Since 2019, Conviction in Only 1 Instance
The alleged MUDA scam has sparked a political row in Karnataka, with Opposition parties demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation.
As the chief minister’s wife surrendered the land, Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka legislative assembly R. Ashoka took a dig at Siddaramaiah saying “those who said they have done nothing wrong have now admitted their mistake” and called it “another victory in the path of our struggle”.
“As the noose of the law tightens in the Muda scam, CM @siddaramaiah has decided to return 14 sites that he had acquired in his wife’s name, and the fact that those who said they have done nothing wrong have now admitted their mistake and surrendered to the truth is another victory in the path of our struggle. But as soon as the stolen goods are returned, does the thief become innocent? Is the theft forgiven as soon as the stolen goods are returned?” Ashoka wrote on X.
He added, “It is a comforting thing that even now Siddaramaiah has not realized his mistake, as if he had come to his senses. But CM Siddaramaiah’s ‘honor that goes to the nut, will not come even if you give it to an elephant’. They should face investigation. They should resign from their posts for an impartial and transparent investigation. Until then, our struggle will continue.”
ಮೂಡಾ ಹಗರಣದಲ್ಲಿ ಕಾನೂನಿನ ಕುಣಿಕೆ ಬಿಗಿಯಾಗುತ್ತಿದ್ದಂತೆ ಸಿಎಂ @siddaramaiah ಅವರು ತಮ್ಮ ಪತ್ನಿ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದ 14 ಸೈಟುಗಳನ್ನ ಹಿಂತಿರುಗಿಸುವ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಮಾಡಿದ್ದು, ನಾನು ತಪ್ಪೇ ಮಾಡಿಲ್ಲ ಎನ್ನುತ್ತಿದ್ದವರು ಈಗ ತಮ್ಮ ತಪ್ಪನ್ನ ಒಪ್ಪಿಕೊಂಡು ಸತ್ಯಕ್ಕೆ ಶರಣಾಗಿರುವುದು ನಮ್ಮ ಹೋರಾಟದ ಹಾದಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಸಿಕ್ಕಿರುವ ಮತ್ತೊಂದು ಜಯ.… pic.twitter.com/eIkCuVpMgX
— R. Ashoka (@RAshokaBJP) September 30, 2024
Calling it a “political case”, Siddaramaiah has denied any wrongdoing and has refused to resign.
Reacting to his wife’s decision, the chief minister said that it has “surprised” him.
“My stand was to fight without bowing down to this injustice. But my wife, who is upset with the political conspiracy going on against me, has taken a decision to return these plots, which has surprised me too. My wife, who never intervened in my four decades long politics and was confined to her family, is a victim of the politics of hate against me and is suffering psychological torture. I am sorry. However, I respect my wife’s decision to return the plots,” Siddaramaiah wrote on X.
ಮೈಸೂರಿನ ಮುಡಾ ಭೂಸ್ವಾಧೀನ ನಡೆಸದೆ ವಶಕ್ಕೆ ಪಡೆದಿದ್ದ ಜಮೀನಿಗೆ ಪರಿಹಾರ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ನೀಡಿದ್ದ ನಿವೇಶನಗಳನ್ನು ನನ್ನ ಪತ್ನಿ ಪಾರ್ವತಿ ಹಿಂದಿರುಗಿಸಿದ್ದಾರೆ.
ನನ್ನ ವಿರುದ್ದ ರಾಜಕೀಯ ದ್ವೇಷ ಸಾಧನೆಗಾಗಿ ವಿರೋಧ ಪಕ್ಷಗಳು ಸುಳ್ಳು ದೂರನ್ನು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸಿ ನನ್ನ ಕುಟುಂಬವನ್ನು ವಿವಾದಕ್ಕೆ ಎಳೆದು ತಂದಿರುವುದು ರಾಜ್ಯದ ಜನತೆಗೂ ತಿಳಿದಿದೆ.
— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) September 30, 2024
After the news of the ED case surfaced today, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, “It is no secret that the ED has become an instrument of harrassment, vendetta, revenge, and vengeance on his political opponents by the non-biological PM.”
“The people of Karnataka rejected Him resoundingly in May 2023 and He has not forgotten that humiliation. @INCIndia believes that He and His ED will stand thoroughly exposed soon. We have nothing whatsoever to fear. The CM of Karnataka will be vindicated,” he added.
It is no secret that the ED has become an instrument of harrassment, vendetta, revenge, and vengeance on his political opponents by the non-biological PM. The people of Karnataka rejected Him resoundingly in May 2023 and He has not forgotten that humiliation. @INCIndia believes…
— Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) September 30, 2024
Similarly, Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao wrote on X, “The Congress party is confident that PM Modi and His ED will be fully exposed in the near future. CM @Siddaramiah will be vindicated.”
The PM’s use of the #ED as a weapon for intimidation and retaliation is well known. The crushing loss in May 2023 is still fresh in his memory.
The Congress party is confident that PM Modi and His ED will be fully exposed in the near future. CM @Siddaramiah will be vindicated. https://t.co/4Y7SW82if0
— Dinesh Gundu Rao/ದಿನೇಶ್ ಗುಂಡೂರಾವ್ (@dineshgrao) September 30, 2024
The FIR names Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, and Devaraju, who sold the land to Swamy that was later gifted to Parvathi.
The Lokayukta FIR was lodged after a special court in Bengaluru ordered a probe against Siddaramaiah. This decision came a day after the Karnataka high court upheld Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to investigate the chief minister.
The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy, public servant disobeying law, dishonest misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, cheating, mischief, forgery, wrongful confinement, and assault.
