ED team visits MUDA office, gathers information on site allotment ‘scam’

A team of officials from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) visited the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) offices here on Friday and began gathering information on the alleged scam pertaining to allotment of residential sites under the controversial 50:50 scheme.

Case against CM

The ED had earlier filed an enforcement case information report (ECIR) against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and others after the Lokayukta registered an FIR against him, his wife Parvathi and two others in the allotment of 14 residential sites to Ms. Parvathi by MUDA.

The ED officials, accompanied by armed personnel from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), arrived at the MUDA office and were closeted with senior officials of the authority, including its Commissioner A.N. Raghunandan.

MUDA secretary Prasanna Kumar, who confirmed the visit of the ED team, said MUDA officials would cooperate with the Central agency by sharing with them whatever information and documents they would seek.

The ED team, comprising around 12 officials, was gathering information by summoning MUDA officials. The team was expected to continue its probe on Saturday also, the official said.

About wider ‘scam’

Activist Snehamayi Krishna, who is the complainant in the FIR registered by the Lokayukta against Mr Siddaramaiah and others in the alleged MUDA scam, had lodged a complaint with the ED.

Mr. Krishna, who had been summoned by the ED a few days ago, told reporters that he had shared documents pertaining to not only the allotment of sites to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s wife, but also a wider “scam” in MUDA involving sites worth thousands of crores of rupees.

Team meets Devaraju

Before arriving in Mysuru on Friday, the ED officials reportedly visited the Kengeri residence of Devaraju, one of the accused in the case, who had sold 3.16 acres of land to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy that was gifted to his [Mr. Mallikarjuna Swamy’s] sister, Ms. Parvathi.

It was the acquisition of this plot of land by MUDA that entitled Ms. Parvathi to 14 residential sites in compensation under the 50:50 ratio scheme.

Meanwhile, the ED officials also visited the Mysuru taluk office and perused the documents.

The officials were escorted by a team of armed CRPF personnel. According to sources, the officials had sought documents pertaining to original records of the land owned by Mr. Devaraju before it was sold to Mr. Mallikarjuna Swamy.

In view of the visit by ED officials to probe the case, the MUDA went out of bounds for the general public with officials suspending routine work.

Published - October 18, 2024 09:34 pm IST