ED conducts fresh searches in MUDA case

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate undertook fresh searches on Monday in connection with the money laundering case involving the Mysuru Urban Development Authority in which it has booked Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his family and others, official sources said.

About seven to eight premises in Bengaluru and Mysuru are being covered in the search, the sources said. This includes the premises of a builder in Bengaluru and some

linked persons.

The federal agency conducted the first round of raids in this case on October 18 when it searched the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (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.

Taking cognisance of a Lokayukta FIR, the ED has filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book the Karnataka Chief Minister and others.

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 two probe agencies.