Mysuru (Karnataka): The complainant in the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case, Snehamayi Krishna submitted a petition on Thursday to the Karnataka Lokayukta demanding lodging of a fresh FIR against CM Siddaramaiah and others based on the findings of the Enforcement Directorate (ED).
The ED had recently submitted its findings to the Investigating Officers in the Lokayukta confirming illegalities.
“The Supreme Court in its judgment in the case of ‘Vijay Madan Lal Choudhary and Union of India’ has made clear observations in this regard. The judgement had given detail explanation on the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and filing of an additional case,” he stated.
The verdict clearly states that when the ED gives such an opinion, even as the case is lodged earlier, another fresh case could be lodged.
“Hence, I am submitting the petition along with the copy of the Supreme Court judgement,” he stated.
“In this backdrop, considering the Supreme Court’s order, based on the information sent to the ADGP Lokayukta by the ED investigating the MUDA case under the PMLA Act, I request you to lodge a fresh complaint against CM Siddaramaiah and others,” he demanded.
The submission has been made to the Superintendent of Police for Mysuru Lokayukta who is in charge of the investigation of the case.
Petitioner Krishna has made an appeal in the High Court to hand over the case to the CBI while CM Siddaramaiah has appealed for quashing of the case against him.
The government had criticised the ED for writing a letter to the Karnataka Lokayukta in connection with the MUDA case.
Minister Priyank Kharge said that the ED and IT were “puppets” of the Central government.
Siddaramaiah’s legal advisor and MLA A.S. Ponnanna said that ED officials have acted illegally.
“An FIR will be registered. Under the PMLA, the ED has no jurisdiction in this case. Their intervention is politically-motivated. We had decided not to speak during the probe. Their investigation is not about uncovering the truth but about suppressing it,” said Ponnanna.
CM Siddaramaiah stated that the ED’s letter to the Lokayukta is to influence the judiciary against him.
The ED, in a recent communication sent to the Karnataka Lokayukta department, claimed that MUDA had “illegally” allotted a total of 1,095 sites in benami and other such transactions.
It also stated that the whole process of allotment of sites to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife was found to be illegal.
The agency has also claimed to have found evidence that one of CM Siddaramaiah’s assistants, S.G. Dinesh Kumar alias C.T. Kumar, wielded “undue influence” in the process.
“Most of the allotments have been made in the name of Benami or dummy persons in the guise of land losers. However, the beneficiaries of these illegal allotments are real estate businessmen and influential people,” the ED said.
IANS