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ED attaches 300-cr assets in MUDA case

By, New Delhi
Jan 18, 2025 07:38 AM IST

The federal agency made the attachments under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of its probe which began on September 2024.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday said it has attached 142 immovable properties worth 300 crore in the agency’s money laundering probe in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case involving Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah.

The federal agency made the attachments under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of its probe which began on September 2024. (HT PHOTO)
The federal agency made the attachments under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of its probe which began on September 2024. (HT PHOTO)

The federal agency made the attachments under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) as part of its probe which began on September 2024. The case stems from a first information report (FIR) filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta against Siddaramaiah, his wife BM Parvathi and brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy.

“ED Bangalore zonal office has provisionally attached 142 immovable properties having market value of 300 crore (approx.) under the provisions of the PMLA in connection with the case against Siddaramaiah, the incumbent chief minister of Karnataka and others. The attached properties are registered in the name of various individuals who are working as real-estate businessmen and agents,” the agency said in a statement.

The case pertains to a land deal when a 3.16 acre plot was gifted to Parvathi by her brother Mallikarjuna Swamy in 2010. MUDA illegally developed the land between 2011-13, following which Parvathi , in 2014, sought compensation. In 2017, MUDA agreed to compensate her, and she was given 14 plots in 2022. The complainants argue that the compensatory land, provided under MUDA’s 50:50 scheme, was far more valuable than the original land.

“It is alleged that Siddaramaiah has used his political influence to get compensation of 14 sites in the name of his wife in lieu of 3 acres 16 guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for 324,700. The compensation in the form of 14 sites at posh locality is worth 56 crore (approx),” the financial crimes probe agency said.

The CM has denied any wrongdoing and dismissed calls for his resignation, attributing the case to political moves orchestrated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

ED, in its statement, said that former MUDA commissioner DB Natesh was “instrumental” in the illegal allotment of compensation sites to Parvathi. Following raids at several locations, including the 14 sites alloted to Parvathi, ED said that the MUDA illegally allotted the plots as compensation to real estate businessmen, who in turn have sold these sites at huge profit and generated huge amounts of unaccounted cash.

“The profit generated has been laundered and shown as derived out of legitimate sources,” it said. “The searches also revealed that sites have been allotted in the name of benamis or dummy persons of influential persons and real estate businessmen...”

The agency further said that “money was routed through a co-operative society for purchase of property, luxury vehicles etc. in the name of relatives of GT Dinesh Kumar, who was the previous commissioner of MUDA”.

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