Bengaluru:  Following the two-day Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid on the family-owned educational institutions in Tumakuru, Home Minister Dr. G. Parameshwar, has feigned ignorance over the reasons behind the raid, but has claimed to have cooperated with ED personnel during the searches conducted at the premises.

Speaking to media persons here yesterday, Dr. G. Parameshwar, who is the Secretary of Sri Siddhartha Education Society, that runs engineering and medical colleges among several others, said ‘The ED personnel had sought records related to the accounts of our institutions. I have directed my staff to furnish the details accordingly.’

Continuing, Dr. Parameshwar said, he has high respect towards law and believes that ‘law is the same for all’. Let the ED personnel verify, we will cooperate with them, he added.

As the ED continued the search, Dr. Parameshwar called on Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and held discussions with the latter.

Nobody is aware what exactly transpired among them, but the sources in Congress party said, Parameshwar has attributed the raid to the gold smuggling case in which actress Ranya Rao has been already arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). 

The ED which is investigating into the case in several angles including illegal transactions and Hawala amount transferred to Ranya Rao’s account, booked under Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), conducted raids simultaneously at 16 different places including the educational institutions belonging to Dr. Parameshwar on May 21 and 22.

Ranya Rao’s credit card bill of Rs. 40 lakh is suspected to have been paid off from the account of educational institutions owned by Dr. G. Parameshwar.

DCM D.K. Shivakumar, who is also the KPCC President, made a startling revelation saying, ‘Parameshwar told me about Rs. 15 lakh to Rs. 25 lakh, he had given to Ranya Rao’. But, what is wrong in that? asked Shivakumar, pointing at media persons.