What's wrong if Siddaramaiah continues as CM, asks Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Asserting that he and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah are working together unitedly, Karnataka Deputy CM D K Shivakumar on Wednesday, questioned what's wrong if the incumbent continues as the CM.
Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress president, was responding to Minister B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan's recent statement that Shivakumar can become the CM of the state, after Siddaramaiah completes his five-year term in 2028.
There have been talks about the chief minister change in the state when the Congress government reaches the halfway mark of its five-year term in November, which is being referred to by some as the "November revolution".
"Very happy. What's wrong? The chief minister is there. Let him be. We are not sad. We are working together. We are all united and we continue to be united," Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question on Khan's statement.
There have been talks within state's political circles, especially within the ruling Congress, for some time now about the chief minister change, citing a "power-sharing" agreement involving Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar.
Responding to a question on Siddaramaiah's proposed visit to New Delhi on November 15, Shivakumar said he, too, will be visiting the national capital to participate in a programme of Rajya Sabha MP and senior advocate Kapil Sibal.
"I'm also going. Kapil Sibal is my lawyer. He has represented me at courts both here and Delhi. He has called me and I'm also going," he added.
Asked if there will be any discussion with the Congress high command on the much awaited Cabinet reshuffle during the Delhi visit, Shivakumar said, it is the chief minister's responsibility.
To a question whether the CM has discussed with him regarding the Cabinet expansion or reshuffle as he is the state president, Shivakumar said, "He (CM) has not yet discussed with him."
Stating that he doesn't believe in exit polls, the Deputy CM expressed confidence that 'Mahagatbandhan' comprising Congress and RJD will come to power in Bihar.
"All exit polls haven't come true. I'm a practical politician...I believe in the people of Bihar," he said.
Rejecting speculation that the Bihar poll results would have implications on the state politics, Shivakumar said Karnataka is a leader in development, social change, administrative and financial discipline.
Bihar polls were held over two phases on November 6 and 11. The votes will be counted on November 14.
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Illegal betting case: ED attaches ₹177 crore assets linked to Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra
Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday said it has attached assets worth ₹177.3 crore belonging to Congress MLA K.C. Veerendra, also known as ‘Puppy’, and his associates in connection with an illegal online betting and gambling case, Deccan Herald reported.
According to the ED, the attached properties include immovable assets such as agricultural land and residential sites, along with other movable assets. The agency said these assets are believed to be proceeds of crime generated through illegal online betting and gambling activities.
The ED claimed that its investigation uncovered that Veerendra and his associates were the masterminds behind a nationwide illegal online betting network operating with the same modus operandi.
“The investigation has established that the accused generated substantial proceeds of crime by cheating the public through online betting and impersonation scams. In the scheme, unsuspecting players were induced to stake money on rigged illegal gaming websites, which functioned like online casinos. Their deposits, running into crores of rupees, were collected through payment gateways into designated payment aggregator accounts,” Deccan Herald quoted the agency as saying.
“The victims were initially shown fake winnings to build trust and were later blocked from withdrawing money. The investigation revealed the use of hundreds of mule accounts and multiple payment gateways for laundering the proceeds of crime,” the agency said.
Earlier, the ED carried out search and seizure operations at more than 60 locations across several states, during which large quantities of cash, gold bullion, gold and silver jewellery, vehicles, digital devices and incriminating documents were seized.
The ED also arrested Veerendra under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), and a prosecution complaint has been filed before the Special PMLA court. Based on the evidence gathered, the agency has provisionally attached properties held directly and indirectly by him, which are believed to be linked to money laundering.
“With this, the ED has attached assets worth more than ₹320 crore in the present case under the provisions of the PMLA, 2002. Further, during the course of the investigation, proceeds of crime exceeding ₹2,300 crore have been identified so far, which were generated through illegal online betting and gambling activities and subsequently laundered through multiple layers of transactions,” the agency said.
