ED ‘misleading’ people on attachment of immovable properties in MUDA probe: Congress MLC

Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah did not rule out the possibility of the ED issuing such a statement to influence the court, which is expected to shortly give a ruling on the petition to hand over the case to the CBI.
| Photo Credit: Murali Kumar K

Congress MLC Yathindra Siddaramaiah termed the recent tweet by Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on the probe against the alleged irregularities in the allotment of alternative sites by Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah’s wife as ‘misleading’.

Fielding queries from reporters in Mysuru on January 19, Mr Yathindra said the ED’s statement on reported provisional attachment of immovable properties does not pertain to the 14 sites that had been allotted to Mr Siddaramaiah’s wife as compensatory sites.

The provisional attachment of immovable properties pertains to a different case altogether, but the ED has been made to deliberately issue a ‘misleading’ statement to make it look like the attached property belonged to Mr Siddaramaiah.

He did not rule out the possibility of the ED issuing such a statement to influence the court, which is expected to shortly give a ruling on the petition to hand over the case to the CBI.

Mr Yathindra Siddaramaiah added that the alleged irregularities in the allotment of compensatory sites under the 50:50 ratio scheme had taken place during the regime of erstwhile BJP government in Karnataka. Pointing out that the Chairman and Commissioner had been appointed by the then BJP government, Mr Yathindra said it was the BJP government that was accountable for lapses that had taken place during the period.

Social Welfare Minister H. C. Mahadevappa, who was present at the interaction, said the ED’s statement was part of efforts to tarnish the image of Mr Siddaramaiah.

When the probe did not find anything amiss in the allotment of compensatory sites to Mr Siddaramaiah’s wife in lieu of the 3.16 acres acquired by MUDA, the ED connected the matter to the alleged irregularities in the allotment of other sites, Mr Mahadevappa claimed.

“Our legal team is examining the matter. Issuing such misleading statements is not a healthy practice in democracy,” Mr Mahadevappa said.