ED takes former MUDA Commissioner Natesh into custody in land allotment scam

ED raided Natesh's house on Tuesday and questioned him on MUDA scam. Following enquiry, Natesh has been taken into custody by the ED officials, who have taken him to the ED office in Shantinagar.

Natesh was accused of allotting plots to Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's wife Parvathi when he was MUDA Commissioner. Natesh has been accused of illegally allotting 928 plots in the ratio of 50:50 from MUDA.

As per sources, he told an official of ED that he has followed the government order and not made any mistake in the allotment.

Earlier on Monday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at more than half a dozen locations in Mangalore, Bengaluru, Mandya and Mysuru in Karnataka's MUDA-linked money laundering case, sources said.

The searches are underway at the premises of a builder, among other private individuals.

The move comes within a week of the agency summoning six employees associated with the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) in Karnataka for questioning. The employees were summoned in connection with the high-profile alleged scam on different dates for the interrogation, which will take place at the ED's zonal office in Bengaluru.

Those summoned have also been instructed to bring several documents related to the case. Investigators from the ED are focused on uncovering evidence and documents linked to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and several officials associated with him.

Notably, the ED has applied provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in its case, enabling the agency to summon individuals for questioning and possibly seize assets during the investigation.

Siddaramaiah has consistently denied the allegations, claiming that he is facing political persecution. Siddaramaiah has stated that he will not resign, backed by his party leaders, despite ongoing demands from the BJP for him to leave his position as head of the government. (ANI)