Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has strongly criticized the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) recent communication to the Lokayukta police in connection with a land allotment case involving his wife, BM Parvathi. The case pertains to the Mysore Urban Development Authority’s (MUDA) alleged allotment of residential sites to Parvathi, in exchange for 3.18 acres of farmland she reportedly provided to MUDA for a housing project.
Siddaramaiah described the ED’s actions as “prejudicial,” accusing the agency of being “politically motivated” and attempting to influence the court ahead of his upcoming hearing. The Chief Minister’s criticism comes after the ED informed the Lokayukta police about suspected irregularities in the case, which is also being investigated by the ED under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
In its communication, the ED claimed to have found evidence of several irregularities, including document tampering, rule bypassing, and undue influence. The agency also alleged that MUDA had illegally allotted 1,095 residential sites through unauthorized deals, worth over Rs 700 crore, including “benami” (proxy) transactions.
However, Siddaramaiah denied the allegations and voiced his disapproval of the ED’s actions. He pointed out that the agency lacked the authority to investigate the case and emphasized that the inquiry report should have been submitted to the Lokayukta after a full investigation, not leaked to the media. “The ED’s letter to the Lokayukta and its media leak are politically motivated, and it is an attempt to influence the high court ahead of tomorrow’s hearing,” he said.
Siddaramaiah is challenging the Governor’s sanction for an investigation into the MUDA case. Governor Thawarchand Gehlot had approved the prosecution based on petitions from activists. Siddaramaiah has appealed the decision in the High Court after a single-bench judge upheld the Governor’s sanction. The case will be heard by a divisional bench tomorrow, with Siddaramaiah hoping for a reversal of the previous order.
The Lokayukta police are conducting the investigation into the land allotment, with a report due by December 24. Based on the Lokayukta’s findings, the ED has also initiated a separate investigation under the PMLA. While Siddaramaiah has questioned the ED’s information-sharing practices, the agency has defended its actions, asserting its authority to share relevant findings with other investigative bodies.
Siddaramaiah’s legal team contends that the timing of the ED’s communication and its media coverage may be aimed at influencing the court’s ruling, raising concerns about the impartiality of the ongoing legal process.