Chitradurga (Karnataka): The sleuths of the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) raided the residence of Congress MLA, K.C. Veerendra, and those of his brothers on Friday morning at various locations in Chitradurga district and Bengaluru. The search and seizure operation is currently underway.
According to sources, searches were conducted at more than four locations, including the residences of MLA Veerendra and his elder brothers, K.C. Nagaraja and K.C. Tippeswamy, in Challakere town.
The properties of his relative, Hosamane Swamy, were also searched.
Veerendra’s residence in the Sahakarnagar locality of Bengaluru was among those raided.
The ED also carried out a search at the house of Prasanna Kumar, secretary of the Veerashaiva Association.
Sources stated that MLA Veerendra is currently out of state on a business trip.
The raids were conducted by an ED team from Delhi, which arrived in private vehicles and launched the operation early in the morning. Further details are awaited. More details are yet to emerge regarding the raid.
It can be recalled that in 2016, MLA Veerendra, who was then with the JD(S) party, was arrested after the Income Tax Department discovered Rs 5.70 crore in new currency hidden inside a secret chamber in his bathroom.
The sleuths had also found 32 kilograms of gold biscuits and jewellery, along with Rs 90 lakh in old currency notes stashed behind bathroom tiles at his residence in Challakere town.
Along with Veerendra, two middlemen from Chitradurga and unidentified officials from four banks were named in the FIR in connection with the case.
Later, a CBI investigation revealed that, in a criminal conspiracy with MLA Veerendra, the bank officials had exchanged Rs 5.76 crore in demonetised notes for new Rs 2,000 and Rs 500 currency notes in 2016.
The CBI chargesheet stated that the bank officials falsified records and used forged identity and address documents in the names of several individuals to show that the money was exchanged through ATM counters.
(IANS)
