Tag: Siddaramaih

ED Files Money Laundering Case Against Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Meanwhile, Siddaramaiah’s wife B.M. Parvathi has surrendered the 14 sites in question to MUDA after the ED filed the case. She wrote to the MUDA commissioner to take immediate action to cancel the title deeds.

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a case on Monday (September 30) against Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah, his wife B.M. Parvati and others, alleging money laundering in connection with the alleged Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam.

The ED has invoked sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to book Siddaramaiah and others in its Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR), equivalent to an FIR, The Hindu reported. This empowers the agency to summon the accused for questioning and potentially attach their assets during the investigation.

This move follows a recent FIR registered by the Mysuru-based Lokayukta police on September 27.

Meanwhile, Parvathi has surrendered the 14 sites in question to MUDA after the ED filed the case. She wrote to the MUDA commissioner asking him to take immediate action to cancel the title deeds and underlined that the decision is of her own.

In a press release, the chief minister’s wife underlined that she was “determined to give back these sites to MUDA in order to secure mental peace” of her husband and demanded an “impartial enquiry into the entire MUDA scam”. 

“My husband has been in public life without any black dot or remark since 40 years. I restrained myself throughout from public appearance and political forums not to cause embarrassment to his political carrier. I never aspired for gold, money or any kind of materialistic wealth. I was very concerned and conscious about his political image and conducted myself to protect him from any dent. I was immensely happy and proud from far off seeing people’s love and affection he was getting from across. Despite all this, I never imagined even in my dream that these 14 sites, given as compensation in lieu of the land acquired by MUDA and later gifted to me by my brother would create such a havoc in facing these allegations against him,” Parvathi wrote in a press note.

She added: “I never aspired for any of this nor this wealth is of any importance to me than my husband’s peace and self respect. So, I decided to surrender these 14 sites which are of no value for me than my husband’s self respect. If anyone asks me as to why am I surrendering these sites now, I had in fact decided to do this then only, but gave up this thought as my well wishers advised me not to fall prey to their conspiracy, but to take up a legal fight for justice. Now, I am determined to give back these sites to MUDA in order to secure mental peace of my husband and strongly demand an impartial enquiry into the entire MUDA scam. At the end, I would draw the attention of the media and journalists to protect the interest of females of political families from getting dragged into these kind of uncalled for embarrassing situations.”

The allegations centre on the allotment of 14 compensatory sites to Parvathi by MUDA in a prime locality in Mysuru. The sites were allocated under a 50:50 ratio scheme in exchange for 3.16 acres of land, which was supposedly developed into a residential layout. The allocated land allegedly had a significantly higher property value. Further, it is alleged that Parvathi did not hold legal title to the 3.16-acre land in question.

Activist Snehamayi Krishna filed a private complaint, raising concerns about the legality of the site allotment process.

Also read: ED Lodged 132 Money Laundering Cases Against Politicians Since 2019, Conviction in Only 1 Instance

The alleged MUDA scam has sparked a political row in Karnataka, with Opposition parties demanding Siddaramaiah’s resignation.

As the chief minister’s wife surrendered the land, Leader of the Opposition in Karnataka legislative assembly R. Ashoka took a dig at Siddaramaiah saying “those who said they have done nothing wrong have now admitted their mistake” and called it “another victory in the path of our struggle”.

“As the noose of the law tightens in the Muda scam, CM @siddaramaiah has decided to return 14 sites that he had acquired in his wife’s name, and the fact that those who said they have done nothing wrong have now admitted their mistake and surrendered to the truth is another victory in the path of our struggle. But as soon as the stolen goods are returned, does the thief become innocent? Is the theft forgiven as soon as the stolen goods are returned?” Ashoka wrote on X.

He added, “It is a comforting thing that even now Siddaramaiah has not realized his mistake, as if he had come to his senses. But CM Siddaramaiah’s ‘honor that goes to the nut, will not come even if you give it to an elephant’. They should face investigation. They should resign from their posts for an impartial and transparent investigation. Until then, our struggle will continue.”

Calling it a “political case”, Siddaramaiah has denied any wrongdoing and has refused to resign.

Reacting to his wife’s decision, the chief minister said that it has “surprised” him.

“My stand was to fight without bowing down to this injustice. But my wife, who is upset with the political conspiracy going on against me, has taken a decision to return these plots, which has surprised me too. My wife, who never intervened in my four decades long politics and was confined to her family, is a victim of the politics of hate against me and is suffering psychological torture. I am sorry. However, I respect my wife’s decision to return the plots,” Siddaramaiah wrote on X.

After the news of the ED case surfaced today, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh wrote on X, “It is no secret that the ED has become an instrument of harrassment, vendetta, revenge, and vengeance on his political opponents by the non-biological PM.”

“The people of Karnataka rejected Him resoundingly in May 2023 and He has not forgotten that humiliation. @INCIndia believes that He and His ED will stand thoroughly exposed soon. We have nothing whatsoever to fear. The CM of Karnataka will be vindicated,” he added.

Similarly, Karnataka minister Dinesh Gundu Rao wrote on X, “The Congress party is confident that PM Modi and His ED will be fully exposed in the near future. CM @Siddaramiah will be vindicated.” 

The FIR names Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathi, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, and Devaraju, who sold the land to Swamy that was later gifted to Parvathi.

The Lokayukta FIR was lodged after a special court in Bengaluru ordered a probe against Siddaramaiah. This decision came a day after the Karnataka high court upheld Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot’s sanction to investigate the chief minister.

The FIR has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including criminal conspiracy, public servant disobeying law, dishonest misappropriation of property, criminal breach of trust, cheating, mischief, forgery, wrongful confinement, and assault.

Cow Vigilantes Have ‘Scope to Work’ Under Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill: Karnataka Deputy CM

Ashwath Narayan’s statement has raised fears the new Bill could be used to legitimise the violent vigilante campaign against persons involved in cattle trade.

New Delhi: Days after the BJP-led government in Karnataka passed the stringent Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill, 2020, the state’s deputy chief minister said that cow vigilantes would have “a scope to work in this provision”, raising fears that the new law could be used to legitimise violence by self-proclaimed ‘gau rakshaks‘ against members of minorty communities involved in trading cattle.

“Earlier, life was at risk for vigilantes… not those who were in the (cattle) trade,” C.N. Ashwath Narayan reportedly told NDTV. when asked about concerns that the new anti-cow slaughter Bill will protect ‘gau rakshaks’.

The new Bill reportedly seeks to protect “persons acting in good faith” to prevent cow slaughter from legal action. Under the Bill, no suit, prosecution or other legal proceedings shall be initiated against the competent authority or any person exercising powers under this legislation in “good faith”.

“Vigilantes or anyone who is working for a cause and the law of the land should definitely have a scope to work in this provision,” Narayan said.

He also claimed that in Karnataka, “it is only the cow vigilantes who have lost their lives” and that persons in the cattle trade “were completely armed”. “They [cattle traders] were taking lives and killing people. It is not the vigilantes,” Narayan claimed.

However, as Sukanya Shantha of The Wire has reported, the state has a long history of a violent vigilante campaign against the consumption of beef. For the past 15 years, there have been many instances of vigilante groups attacking and killing people involved in the trade.

The Bill, which was adopted by the state assembly on Wednesday seeks a total ban on the slaughter of all cattle and buffaloes below 13 years of age. The Bill also imposes a stringent punishment upon violation of the legislation including imprisonment between three years and seven years with a fine not less than Rs 50,000 per cattle and may be extended up to Rs 7 lakh. The interstate transportation of cattle will also be banned without prior permission from competent authorities.

Also Read: Whatever the BJP May Say, the Cost of ‘Protecting’ Cows Is High

Additionally, the Bill makes selling the cattle for slaughtering or intentionally killing the cattle an offence and if convicted, the court can forfeit the accused’s confiscated cattle, vehicle, premises, and material on behalf of the state government. Police officers will also be allowed to visit premises where ‘suspicious slaughtering’ is taking place, under the Bill, and will be allowed to seize the cattle.

The Bill, which faced strong criticism from opposition parties Congress and Janata Dal (Secular), has drawn flak from former chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy who said that it could be “politically misused”.

“There is a fear that the provision to allow police and other officials to inspect the dairy premises may lead to the officials harassing farmers and creating fear psychosis,” Kumaraswamy said.

Concerns have also been raised by meat traders and sellers in Goa, who claim that the new Bill will affect the tourism state’s beef supply.

Protesting farmers in Bengaluru also expressed concerns over the anti-cow slaughter Bill. “It is common for farmers to sell a cow or buffalo when it stops producing milk. We will look after them but we want the government to introduce an insurance scheme for cattle so when the cattle dies we will be compensated,” Kodihalli Chandrashekar, the President of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, a pro-farmer organisation, said.

Demands for similar anti-cow slaughter legislation were also raised in neighbouring Telangana by BJP national leader P. Muralidhar Rao.

Karnataka Assembly Passes Anti-Cow Slaughter Bill Without Discussion

The Congress had expressed fears that the Bill, if passed, may be misused for polarisation on communal lines and target the minorities.

Bengaluru: Amid bedlam, the controversial anti-cow slaughter Bill was passed in the Karnataka Assembly on Wednesday, with the Congress members staging a walkout in protest.

The Bill known as the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Bill – 2020 seeks a total ban on the slaughter of cows in the state and stringent punishment to those who indulge in smuggling, illegal transportation, atrocities on cows and slaughtering them, BJP sources said.

“Yes, the Bill has been passed in the Assembly,” Karnataka law and parliamentary affairs minister, J. C. Madhuswamy, told PTI.

Besides cows and calves, the Bill also intends to protect buffaloes and their calves less than 12 years of age.

There is a provision to set up special courts for the speedy trial of the accused. It also makes provision for setting up Goshala or cattle-sheds for the protection of livestock. Police have been given powers to conduct checks.

The law also gives protection to those who protect these livestock. The Bill was passed without any discussion as there was a din in the House.

The Congress later staged a walkout in protest.

Earlier, when animal husbandry minister, Prabhu Chavan, tabled the Bill in the evening, Congress MLAs led by the leader of the opposition, Siddaramaiah, trooped into the well of the House.

They alleged that the Bill was not discussed for tabling in the business advisory committee meeting.

“We had discussed yesterday that new Bills will not be tabled. We had agreed that only the ordinances will be passed. Now he (Prabhu Chavan) has all-of-a-sudden introduced this anti-cow slaughter Bill,” Siddaramaiah said.

However, speaker, Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, said he had clearly said in the meeting that important bills will be tabled on Wednesday and Thursday.

Not convinced with the reply, the Congress MLAs trooped into the well of the House and raised slogans against the BJP government.

The Congress had expressed fears that the Bill, if passed, may be misused for polarisation on communal lines and target the minorities.

On the other hand, the BJP has been saying the Bill is to protect the cows which are holy to the Hindus.

To make the provisions of the proposed law stringent, Chavan had referred to similar laws in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat.

A team of officials led by Chavan had recently visited Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat, where the law has been enacted, to study its implementation.