Fresh trouble for Siddaramaiah: ED books Karnataka CM in MUDA-linked money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday registered a money laundering case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife and others in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case following an FIR registered against him by Karnataka Lokayukta police last week, news agency PTI reported citing sources.

"The agency has filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) to book the chief minister and others", the report.

Earlier today, English daily The Indian Express reported quoting a senior ED official as saying, "We are in possession of the details of the FIR and relevant case details. The offences fall under the schedule of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). A case will be registered soon after completing necessary formalities." 

It is important to note that an FIR was lodged last week against Siddaramaiah, his wife BM Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy and Devaraju (the land owner) and others after a special court in Bengaluru last week ordered a Lokayukta police probe against the chief minister in the case.

The order of Special Court Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat came a day after the Karnataka High Court upheld the sanction granted by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegations of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites to his wife BM Parvathi by MUDA.

Earlier PTI also reported that the ED is studying the Lokayukta Police FIR, and may apply sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book the Karnataka chief minister in its ECIR.

In the MUDA site-allotment case, it is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Siddaramaiah's wife in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value than the location of her land that was "acquired" by MUDA.

The Opposition has accused Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi of benefiting from this "illegal" compensatory land deal, estimating the alleged irregularities to be worth ₹4,000 crore. Siddaramaiah, however, dismissed the allegations and accused the BJP of attempting to “destabilise” the Congress-run Karnataka government.