Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1 (ANI): Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil came down heavily at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday in relation to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allocation case.
The minister said that ED's case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah would be one of the greatest blunders that the probing agency would be doing.
He further stated that it was "shocking" as well as "surprising" on how the MUDA case could be a "money laundering" issue.
"It is shocking and surprising that how can MUDA issue be money laundering. Where is money? Almost decades have passed since the episode of the allotment of a site. But unfortunately, if they are taking cases of this category, I don't know how they will justify. It will be one of the greatest blunders that the ED will be doing if they are going on that path," Patil said.
Speaking on the wife of Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah offering to return the plots to the MUDA authorities, Patil said she had taken the "right decision" and that she did it as she was concerned about her husband's honour.
"The way the Chief Minister's wife has reacted and returned the site because she is concerned for her husband's honour. It is the right decision that she has taken and this will clear all the clouds that are in the public's mind," he said.
Earlier today, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara criticised the involvement of the ED in the MUDA land allocation case and questioned the registration of a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) despite the absence of any "financial transactions."
Earlier on Monday, after the ED booked the Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah for money laundering in a case linked to the allgeded MUDA land allotment scam, his wife wrote to the MUDA Commissioner and offered to surrender the 14 plots that were allotted to her by the authority.
Meanwhile, the Mysuru Lokayukta officially started the inquiry and investigation into the case linked to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam today, following a September 27 court order to file a FIR, directing them to conduct an investigation against Siddaramaiah on the allegation of illegalities in the allotment of 14 sites worth Rs 56 crore to his wife Parvathi by the MUDA. (ANI)
