Mysuru:  Accusing the Enforcement Directorate (ED) of acting under the directions of Mysuru-based RTI activist Snehamayi Krishna, KPCC Spokesperson M. Lakshmana alleged that the ED has submitted a false report to Lokayukta ADGP regarding the MUDA sites scam.

Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan this morning, Lakshmana claimed that the ED was working at the behest of the BJP and RSS, as reflected in its allegedly fabricated report. “It is clear that ED’s boss is Snehamayi Krishna as the investigative agency is acting under his direction,” he said.

Citing the Karnataka High Court’s directive for the Lokayukta, an independent agency, to investigate the illegal allotment of 14 sites to CM Siddaramaiah’s wife B.M. Parvathi under MUDA’s 50:50 sites scheme, he noted that the Lokayukta had already completed its probe and submitted its report to                                                                    the High Court.

“The ED has unnecessarily interfered in the MUDA scam despite another investigative agency (Lokayukta) handling the case. The ED’s jurisdiction is limited to money-laundering cases, yet it acted on a complaint by Krishna and submitted a 104-page report to the Lokayukta ADGP, clearly with malicious intent. This interference suggests that the ED is influencing the Lokayukta and attempting to tarnish Siddaramaiah’s image before the public,” Lakshmana asserted.

Questioning whether the ED, Krishna, or others had provided any documentary evidence supporting their claim of 1,095 illegally allotted sites, Lakshmana challenged the ED to present concrete proof of money-laundering allegations against the CM and his wife.

Dismissing the ED’s claims that code words like coconut, coconut oil, and arecanut were used in money transfers linked to the MUDA scam, he said the Congress would launch a movement against the ED, accusing it of targeting only Opposition leaders at the behest of the ruling BJP at the Centre.