Tumakuru (Karnataka): The Enforcement Directorate (ED) continued its raids for the second consecutive day on educational institutions linked to Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara in Tumakuru city.
While ED sources confirmed that the raids and search operations were being conducted in connection with financial transactions related to the gold smuggling case involving actress Ranya Rao, official confirmation was awaited.
The BJP, however, has linked the raids to actress Ranya Rao’s gold smuggling case, and the Congress has condemned the ED action.
The raids have continued on the Sri Siddhartha Institute of Technology (SSIT) located on Kunigal Road, Sree Siddhartha School of Engineering near Kyatsandra Till Gate on the national highway and Sri Siddhartha Medical College in Tumakuru.
As per sources, the ED sleuths began raids at 9 a.m. on Wednesday and continued till 2 a.m. The same was resumed early in the morning, with a team of 40 officers involved in the operations.
The team has been provided with police security, which has been deployed at the locations.
Sources stated that the raids are being conducted in connection with illegal money transactions with Ranya Rao, the main accused in the gold smuggling case.
Sources have revealed that the ED has found out that a payment of Rs 40 lakh was made to Ranya Rao’s account from the Educational trust linked to Minister Parameshwara. Sources further claimed that the payment was made as per the oral instructions. The credit card bill payment of Rs 40 lakh was cleared by the Educational institution, and it is shown as payment made for providing workers, sources revealed.
The official statement is yet to be made in this regard and is expected once the raids are over.
Meanwhile, the Karnataka BJP has linked the raids to the gold smuggling case involving Ranya Rao.
While addressing a press conference, Leader of Opposition R. Ashoka made the statement in this regard, slamming the Congress-led government’s failure on all fronts in the last two years.
Answering a question, Ashoka said the “Siddhartha Educational Institutions are being investigated in connection with the gold smuggling case”.
“The ED is a government investigating agency. It is established in the investigation that the gold was brought here and given to many persons. They might have got the information on the gold smuggling money being invested in the Siddhartha Education institutions,” Ashoka stated.
“Action must be taken against everyone involved. Congress leaders are not afraid even in cases like the Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) and Valmiki Corporation scams. Those guilty must be made to face the consequences,” he said.
“Let the investigation be continued, and the probe must be more effective, and all those involved must be punished,” he demanded.
Coming down heavily on the Central government over the ED raids on educational institutions run by Minister Parameshwara, the Congress dubbed it an act of frustration by the BJP.
National General Secretary and Karnataka In-Charge Randeep Singh Surjewala took to social media X on Wednesday, saying, “The ED raids on the Educational Institutions of Karnataka’s Home Minister, G. Parameshwara, one of the tallest SC Leaders, is a frustrated reaction of BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi Govt to giving of ownership rights to 1 Lakh SC-ST families yesterday (May 20) at Hospet.”
He further said that the constant assault on the Constitution and leaders of SC-ST-OBC communities across India has become a habitual pattern.
“The revenge-seeking against Parameshwara is part of this sinister design,” he maintained.
Surjewala said that Parameshwara has run Siddhartha Institute of Technology, set up 46 years ago in 1979, and the Siddartha Medical College, which was set up in 1988, in the rural hinterland of Tumakuru, to light the lamp of education.
“It is indeed surprising that after 46 years of setting up this institution, the Narendra Modi-led government is searching for wrongdoing, while the BJP’s corruption is being actively investigated by the Home Ministry and G. Parameshwara,” he charged.
He said that the ED raids appear to be a desperate attempt to cover up the corruption of previous BJP governments and stifle the voice of those who champion the voice of the oppressed.
(IANS)
