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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached 142 immovable properties having a market value of Rs 300 crore in connection with the Machilipatnam Urban Development Authority (MUDA) case against Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and others.
ED's Bangalore Zonal Office attached these properties under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. As per the ED, these properties are registered in the name of various individuals who are working as real estate businessmen and agents. ED initiated the investigation on the basis of a First Information Report registered by the Lokayuktha Police Mysore under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Siddaramaiah and others. It is alleged that Siddaramaiah has used his political influence to get compensation of 14 sites in the name of his wife BM Parvathi in lieu of three acres 16 guntas of land acquired by MUDA. The land was originally acquired by MUDA for Rs 3,24,700. The compensation in the form of 14 sites at Posh locality is worth Rs. 56 Crore (approx). "The role of ex-MUDA commissioner DB Natesh has emerged as instrumental in illegal allotment of compensation sites to BM Parvathi," said the agency. "Searches conducted during the investigation further revealed that a large number of sites, other than 14 sites allotted to BM Parvathi, have been illegally allotted by MUDA as compensation to real estate businessmen, who in turn have sold these sites at huge profit and generated huge amount of unaccounted cash. The profit so generated has been laundered and shown as derived out of legitimate sources," it added. "The searches also revealed that sites have been allotted in the name of Benamis/dummy persons of influential persons and real estate businessmen. The incriminating evidences with respect to payment of illegal gratification to then MUDA chairman and MUDA commissioner in the form of immovable property, MUDA sites, cash, etc., were recovered," said the ED. The illegal gratification, thus received, was further laundered and shown as derived out of legitimate sources, it said "It has also been revealed that money was routed through a co-operative society for purchase of property, luxury vehicles etc. in the name of relatives of GT Dinesh Kumar, who was the previous commissioner of MUDA," added the federal agency. (ANI)
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