Karnataka Home Minister criticises ED's involvement in MUDA land case; questions PMLA registration

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1 (ANI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara criticised the involvement of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the Mysore Urban Development Authority (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."
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, Parameshwara said that he wasn't able to wrap his head around ED registering the case under PMLA and stated that they need to justify the move later on.
He further said that the wife of Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had clarified her stand on why she offered to return the plots to the MUDA authorities and that the entire episode was turning out to be a political one and was tarnishing the image of CM Siddaramaiah.
"I don't know the decisions of ED to register a PMLA case. As far as I know, there were no financial transactions. There is no benefit out of those transactions, either by CM or CM's wife. In both cases, I don't see any financial transactions. So why or how the ED got involved in this, I don't know. They will have to justify it later," Parameshwara said.
"She has clarified her stand. She returned the plots, as the entire episode has been turned into a political one and it is tarnishing her husband's image. The ED has no role at this point in time. As I said, there is no financial transaction. So PMLA cannot be applicable in this particular case," he added.
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.
Earlier today, the Mysuru Lokayukta officially started the inquiry and investigation into the case linked to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land allotment scam 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)