Bengaluru, Sep 17 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested ex-MUDA commissioner Dinesh Kumar under the provisions of the anti-money laundering law in a case related to alleged allotment of illegal sites, officials said on Wednesday.
Kumar is expected to be produced before a designated special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Bengaluru where the agency will seek his custody, the officials said.
The arrest came after the federal probe agency on Tuesday searched two residential premises in Bengaluru linked to Kumar in connection with the MUDA (Mysuru Urban Development Authority) illegal sites allocation “scam”.
He was placed under arrest following his questioning on Tuesday.
Kumar, the ED alleged, during his tenure as MUDA commissioner indulged in “large-scale illegal allotment” of MUDA sites in lieu of “gratification and pecuniary benefits.” Probe has found his “active” involvement in money laundering activities, the agency alleged.
Kumar was suspended by the state government in September last year after an internal inquiry was conducted by the state government into the functioning of MUDA following reports of large scale irregularities.
The official was accused by the government of taking several illegal measures while serving as the MUDA commissioner.
The MUDA case involves alleged irregularities in land allotted to Parvathi, wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
However, the Supreme Court in July upheld a Karnataka High Court decision to quash ED proceedings against Parvathi in this case.
It also quashed the ED summons issued to Urban Development Minister B S Suresh (Byrathi Suresh), who was not named as an accused, but was called for questioning by the agency.
The Justice P N Desai Commission, constituted by the state government in this case, has also exonerated Siddaramaiah and his family.
According to officials, the commission exonerated Siddaramaiah and his wife Parvathi B M, finding no illegality in the allotment of 14 plots by MUDA to Parvathi in exchange for 3.16 acres of her land at Kesare village in Mysuru, which the Authority had used to form a residential layout.
Earlier, the Lokayukta police had given a clean chit to Siddaramaiah, Parvathi, and two others, stating that the allegations “could not be proven due to a lack of evidence.” It was is alleged that compensatory sites were allotted to Parvathi in an upmarket area in Mysuru, which had higher property value as compared to the location of her land, which had been “acquired” by the MUDA.
The FIR registered by Lokayukta police named Siddaramaiah, his wife, brother-in-law B M Mallikarjun Swamy, Devaraju — who sold land to Swamy, which was then gifted to Parvathi — and others in connection with the case. The ED took cognisance of this FIR to file a PMLA case.
Under the controversial scheme, MUDA allotted 50 per cent of developed land to the land losers in lieu of undeveloped land acquired from them for forming residential layouts.
Siddaramaiah has categorically rejected allegations against his family claiming that the MUDA “illegally” took over four-acres of land belonging to his wife and formed a layout without her permission.
The CM had said MUDA compensated them by providing them with 14 alternative plots in Mysuru upmarket. PTI NES DV DV
Category: Breaking News
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