ED Continues Raids at MUDA Office; Key Documents Missing
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued its raids at the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) office on Saturday as part of an investigation into a land scam involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Sources indicate that the ED is intensifying its search due to the absence of crucial documents related to land ownership, denotification, and conversion. The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police were deployed to secure the MUDA office, where CRPF personnel remained overnight. Access was restricted to MUDA officers, security personnel, and ED officials.
Following the ED’s instructions, MUDA Commissioner Raghunandan A. N. and senior officials arrived early Saturday morning. The ED conducted inspections until 11 p.m. on Friday, interrogating Commissioner Raghunandan and other senior officers about original documents concerning land ownership and allotment to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife, Parvathy.
According to reports, significant ownership documents dating back to 1992, related to land allotted to Parvathy, were missing from the MUDA records. When questioned, Commissioner Raghunandan stated that he had recently taken charge and was unaware of the missing documents.
In parallel, the ED also raided the residence of J. Devaraju, the landowner and fourth accused in the MUDA scam, in Kengeri, Bengaluru, conducting searches until midnight on Friday. A team of 20 officers scrutinized documents at the MUDA office.
Sources suggest that the ED may soon raid CM Siddaramaiah’s residence to question him and his wife Parvathy, identified as the first and second accused in the scam.
Complainant Snehamayi Krishna welcomed the raids, expressing confidence that the discovery of documents would reveal the charges against the accused.