"What role does ED have in MUDA where no monetary transactions have occurred": Karnataka Health Minister

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], October 1 : Targeting the Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular) after the ED booked the Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah in the alleged MUDA scam, Karnataka health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said on Tuesday that the ED's mandate is to investigate financial irregularities but in this case, no exchange of funds has taken place.
In a post on X, Gundu Rao said that misusing the ED in the irrelevant MUDA case is a clear example of the hate politics the BJP4 Karnataka is driving in the country.
"What role does the ED have in the MUDA case, where no monetary transactions have occurred? The ED's mandate is to investigate financial irregularities, yet in this case, no exchange of funds has taken place. So why is the ED being brought into this?" Rao said.
"Two things are clear: BJP and JD(S) are trying to orchestrate a political conspiracy against Siddaramaiah. They are desperate to silence a leader who champions backward communities," he added.
The Karnataka Health Minister further warned that political vendettas should not cross line.
"If Siddaramaiah is unjustly targeted, the consequences could be beyond anyone's imagination. It is high time the BJP and Janata Dal (S) recognise that undermining Siddaramaiah's political image not only targets a respected leader but also disrespects the communities he represents. time and again, they forget that Siddaramaiah is a resilient leader who cannot be silenced or diminished," Dinesh Gundu Rao added.
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, CM Siddaramaiah hardened his position on the allegations related to the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) land scam. He once again reiterated that he would not resign, identifying himself as a self-witness in the matter.
Siddaramaiah also distinguished his situation from that of BS Yeddyurappa, stating that the former Chief Minister's case involved land denotification, while he was not involved in such matters. He further expressed his intent to address the situation legally, regardless of investigations by the Enforcement Directorate or other entities.
"BS Yeddyurappa's case and mine are different cases. He did denotification of land and I am not involved in it. I will not give my resignation as a self-witness. Whether ED or anything else, I will fight it out legally," he said.
He stated that the land in question was gifted to his wife by her brother and that MUDA had encroached upon it. He explained that his wife requested an alternative site but did not specify Vijayanagara, yet it was allocated to her.
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.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Law Minister HK Patil came down heavily at the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in relation to this case and said that ED's case registered under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against Siddaramaiah would be one of the greatest blunders that the probing agency would be doing.
Karnataka former Chief Minister and BJP MP Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that by returning the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) site, CM Siddaramaiah has landed in more trouble and made the situation even more complicated.
"Had an investigation been conducted through High Court judges, the matter would have been resolved. No questions regarding Siddaramaiah's integrity would have arisen. However, back then, they defended themselves. Now that the Governor has granted permission for prosecution, a case has been registered, and an investigation has taken place. With the site being returned now, many questions have arisen, and by returning the site, they have made the issue more complicated," Bommai said.