ED likely to book Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in MUDA money laundering scam case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is soon anticipated to press sanctions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in order to summon CM Siddaramaiah in its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR).

New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is likely to summon Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) scam case, taking cognisance of a recent Lokayukta FIR, official sources said on September 30 . On Friday, September 27, Lokayukta Police registered an FIR in the name of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah, his wife BM Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and Devaraju- from whom Swamy had purchased the land and gifted it to Parvathi. The FIR was lodged after a special court in Bengaluru ordered Lokayukta Police to launch probe against Siddaramaiah in the case. 

This order came after the high court upheld the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against the Karnataka CM over the allegations of  irregularities or illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife by the MUDA. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is anticipated to soon press sanctions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in order to summon CM Siddaramaiah in its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR). As per the sources, the federal agency is currently studying the FIR lodged by Lokayukta Police.

As per the procedure, The ED has the authority to question the accused and even seize their property while conducting an investigation.

Last week, Siddaramaiah alleged that he was being targeted in the MUDA scam by the oppositions as they are afraid of him and noted that it is the first political case against him. He also asserted that he will not resign following the court ordering a probe against him as he had done nothing wrong and affirmed to fight the case legally. 

In the MUDA site-allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allocated to Siddaramaiah’s wife in an affluent area of Mysuru. These sites were of greater property value than the location of her land that was “acquired” by MUDA.

The Lokayukta Police has registered FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) like 120B (criminal conspiracy), 166 (public servant disobeying law, with intent to cause injury to any person), 403 (dishonest misappropriation of property), 406 (criminal breach of trust), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 426 (mischief), 465 (forgery), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 340 (wrongful confinement) and 351 (assault).