MUDA ‘scam’: ED raids two former Commissioners and two realtors

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) “scam” allegedly involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, raided the premises of two former MUDA commissioners and two real estate developers in Mysuru, Bengaluru, and Mandya on Monday. 

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the Mysore Urban Development Authority (MUDA) “scam” allegedly involving Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, raided the premises of two former MUDA commissioners and two real estate developers in Mysuru, Bengaluru, and Mandya on Monday. 

Premises linked to D.B. Natesh and G. T. Dinesh Kumar, both former MUDA Commissioners were searched, sources said.

Mr. Kumar was suspended over alleged irregularities in MUDA in the aftermath of allegations against Mr. Siddaramaiah in September earlier this year, but it was revoked later.

The ED also raided premises linked to Rakesh Papanna, a local leader who is said to be an associate of Mr. Siddaramaiah in Mysuru, and a real estate developer and broker Manjunath. The ED recovered several incriminating documents during the raids, the sources said. 

MUDA had allotted 16 sites in Vijayanagar, Mysuru, to Parvathi, Mr. Siddaramaiah’s wife, in lieu of her 3.16 acres.

The Lokayukta police have filed an FIR against Mr. Siddaramaiah and his wife over this transaction. Based on this, the ED also filed an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against the Chief Minister on September 30. It conducted raids on MUDA headquarters in Mysuru on October 18. 

Mr. Rakesh Papanna and Mr. Manjunath are not directly linked to Mr. Siddaramaiah’s wife being allotted 16 sites by MUDA, but faced allegations of corruption in allotment of alternative sites by MUDA under the 50:50 scheme in other unrelated instances, the sources said.