ED conducts raids in MUDA case

Karnataka Bengaluru, Oct 18: 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. (PTI)