K'taka Cong MLA, family purchased foreign travel tickets using betting funds: ED
New Delhi (PTI): Arrested Karnataka Congress MLA K C Veerendra, his family members and associates booked international travel tickets worth crores of rupees and these were financed through a network of "mule" accounts linked to proceeds from online betting websites, the Enforcement Directorate alleged on Tuesday.
"The evidence suggests that the funds used for these high-value transactions were diverted from illicit online activities and funnelled through multiple intermediary accounts to obscure their origin," the federal probe agency claimed in a statement.
Veerendra is being investigated as the "prime accused" in a money laundering case linked to alleged cheating of public through illegal online betting.
The 50-year-old Chitradurga legislator was arrested late last month by the ED from Sikkim where he had gone on a business trip to lease a casino.
His legal team has told the courts that the charges made by the ED against him were baseless.
The ED also conducted fresh searches in this case on September 6 at Challakere (Chitradurga district) and seized a variety of gold articles worth a total Rs 24 crore.
This included 24-carat gold bullion weighing 21.43 kg, 11 units of gold coated silver bars weighing 10.98 kg and about 1 kg gold jewellery.
The agency did not specify from whose premises these gold items were seized by it under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
"After considering this seizure, cumulative seizure of proceeds of crime in this case has crossed Rs 100 crore as on date," the agency said.
The ED has accused the MLA of "running" several online betting sites in the name of King567, Raja567, Lion567, Play567, Playwin567, etc. It has been claimed that several payment gateways were used for routing payments collected through these websites.
"ED investigation revealed that K C Veerendra, his family members and associates have booked several international travel tickets worth crores of rupees, financed through a network of mule accounts linked to proceeds from online betting websites," it alleged.
A number of luxury vehicles, allegedly used by Veerendra and his family, have been found by the ED during the multiple rounds of searches conducted by it in this case.
A Mercedes Benz registered in the name of ABH Infrastructures of Anil Gowda and a Range Rover "funded" by a person named Gulshan Khattar of Fonepaisa were also found, the ED said.
Gowda has challenged the ED summons issued to him in this case before the Karnataka High Court stating the notice was a violation of his rights as a professional advocate of Veerendra.
The ED had contended before the high court that it summoned Gowda not in his capacity as a lawyer but because of his business involvement in the case.
The court has reserved its order while grating interim protection to Gowda-- brother of Kusuma H, the losing Congress candidate from the R R Nagar assembly seat during the 2023 assembly polls-- from any coercive ED action against him.
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JD(S) attacks K’taka govt over fuel prices, accuses it of mobilising funds for guarantee schemes
Mysuru (PTI): Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Congress government in Karnataka over petrol and diesel prices, accusing it of "misleading the public" while repeatedly raising taxes and fuel prices to finance its guarantee schemes.
Addressing a public outreach programme titled 'Janarondige Janata Dal' (Janata Dal with the people) and a membership campaign in the Chamundeshwari Assembly constituency in Mysuru, the JD(S) state president challenged Congress leaders to make public the number of tax hikes and price increases imposed by the state government over the last three years.
"On one hand, the government is deceiving people by claiming to provide guarantees, while on the other, it is repeatedly increasing prices. Let the Congress government release a list of how many times it has imposed taxes and raised prices," Kumaraswamy said.
He alleged that the Congress government had continuously increased taxes and prices on liquor, bus fares, electricity, and several other sectors to mobilise funds for its five guarantee schemes—Gruha Lakshmi, Gruha Jyothi, Anna Bhagya, Shakti, and Yuva Nidhi.
Kumaraswamy also criticised Congress leaders for attacking the Centre over fuel price hikes and asked them to introspect on their own contribution to the state’s development before holding the proposed 'Sadhana Samavesha' (achievement convention) on May 19.
Referring to the global oil situation, he said the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran had triggered an international oil supply crisis and argued that fuel prices in India remained lower than in many developed countries.
"In Singapore, which is a developed country, petrol costs Rs 245. Congress leaders should open their eyes and see this," he claimed.
He further questioned what the Congress party would have done had it been in power during the present international crisis.
"Did anyone foresee that such a war would take place? If Congress leaders had such foresight, let them say so. If the Congress party itself had been in power during such a difficult situation, what would it have done?" Kumaraswamy asked.
Throughout his address, the former CM mounted a sustained attack on Congress leaders and dismissed claims that guarantee schemes had improved people’s lives.
"Congress leaders think people are living peacefully because of the guarantee schemes. That is wrong," he said.
Recalling the by-election scenario in the Chamundeshwari constituency in 2006, Kumaraswamy said JD(S) had suffered defeat due to internal mistakes within the party.
"If our leaders had been cautious then, the situation would not have reached this stage. JD(S) suffered defeat because of some mistakes on our part," he said.
He added that he shared a deep bond with the constituency.
Calling upon party workers to prepare for the next Assembly elections, Kumaraswamy expressed confidence that JD(S) would win 75 seats in the next polls and asserted that Chamundeshwari constituency would return to the party in 2028.
"There is no confusion in our party," he said, adding that JD(S) would not bow to any pressure and that the convention had been organised to strengthen its presence in Chamundeshwari.
"Our party has lakhs of loyal workers as its backbone. JD(S) remains strong even today because of the hard work of our cadre," he said.
Kumaraswamy also claimed that during his tenure as CM, he had sanctioned more funds for the Chamundeshwari constituency than the present CM (Siddaramaiah).
"We are not holding this convention to oppose anyone. We are organising it to inform the people about the failures of the state government," he said.
Addressing the gathering in a traditional turban, Kumaraswamy said the gesture was intended to send a message to the Hallumatha and Kuruba communities and reassure them of JD(S) support.
"JD(S) is working for Kurubas, Dalits, and minorities. I am not helping distressed people for publicity. I do it out of self-satisfaction and duty," he said.
