Pramesh S Jain
In a major development,the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 92 properties worth an estimated Rs. 100 crore in connection with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site allotment case, where Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is one of the suspects.
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n a statement released on Tuesday,the ED said that the immovable properties were attached under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
“The attached properties are registered in the name of entity such as housing cooperative society and individuals who are front/dummy for influential persons including MUDA officials,”the ED alleged.
ED initiated an investigation on an FIR registered by the Lokayukta Police in Mysuru under various sections of IPC,1860 and Prevention of Corruption Act,1988 against Siddaramaiah,his wife Parvathi BM and others.
“ED investigation revealed a large-scale scam in allotment of MUDA sites by flouting various statutes and government orders/guidelines and by other fraudulent means.
The role of ex-MUDA commissioners including GT Dinesh Kumar has emerged as instrumental in illegal allotment of compensation sites to ineligible entities/individuals.
“The evidences with respect to obtaining bribe for making illegal allotments in the form of cash,bank transfer,movable/ immovable properties have been gathered during the course of the investigation,”the Central agency alleged.
ED claimed that the modus operandi for making illegal allotment involved identification of ineligible beneficiaries and making allotment using fake documents/incomplete documents in direct violation of government orders and also back dating of allotment letters in some cases.
“The gratification received for making these illegal allotments was routed through a co-operative society and bank accounts of the relatives/associates of the officers playing key role in the allotment process,”it alleged.
The gratification thus received was further used to purchase some of these illegally allotted MUDA sites
in the name of relatives of MUDA officers.
It is pertinent to mention here that the attachment of these 92 MUDA sites are in continuation
to the previous attachment of 160 MUDA sites having a market value of approximately Rs.300 crore.
The cumulative market value of Proceeds of Crime provisionally attached so far is approximately Rs.400 crore. Further investigation is under progress.”
