Deputy CM D K Shivakumar backs Parameshwara amid ED raids, calls him 'clean and honest'
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Bengaluru (PTI): As the ED continued searches at institutions linked to Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara in connection with a money laundering probe tied to gold smuggling case, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar came out strongly in support of his cabinet colleague, calling him a "clean and honest man".
Defending Parameshwara, the state Congress President said, "he might gifted around Rs 15-25 lakh to Rao during some family event or marriage, but that doesn't mean he encouraged her (actress Ranya Rao) to indulge in illegal activities like smuggling."
The Enforcement Directorate is conducting searches under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) targeting hawala operators and accommodation entry operators accused of routing "fake" transactions into Ranya Rao's accounts.
A PMLA case was registered a few months ago after ED took cognisance of a CBI and DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence) complaint into a larger gold smuggling racket in India, including the case of Rao.
"I spoke to Parameshwara, I visited him in the morning. He has given Rs 15-25 lakh, we are in public life, many run trusts. At a family event or marriage gifts might have been given. Will an influential person like Parameshwara encourage her to indulge in illegal things like smuggling?" asked Shivakumar.
Speaking to reporters here, the Deputy CM said, "If she (Rao) has done anything wrong, let her be punished in accordance with law."
"As far as Parameshwara is concerned, he is a law abiding citizen, he is the Home Minister of the state, we are proud of him, he is a big leader. He was party president for eight years, he has done a lot of service to the state. He has been an MLA since 1989 with me, he has been a Minister... He is a clean and honest man... He might have given a gift for marriage, that's all. He will answer."
Shivakumar said he met Parameshwara and assured him of the Congress party's full support.
"He is attending cabinet today," he added.
According to ED sources, an educational trust is suspected to have "diverted" funds and made a payment of Rs 40 lakh towards the credit card bill of Rao, allegedly on the instructions of an influential individual.
The sources claimed that the trust is linked to Parameshwara and the "influential" individual is a "politically exposed person". The payment for the credit bill lacked documentation or vouchers, they said.
Earlier Shivakumar said, "Charitable institutions often help people... small charity might have been done for marriage, school fees, hospital bills, such help might have been done, I'm not denying it. Rest of the matter, let's see what they (ED) will do."
Responding to a question on Chief Minister and AICC General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala comments on the ED raids, he said, "I stand by whatever my Chief Minister and AICC General Secretary have said. I can't take a separate stand, but whatever I have said is important."
Asked whether the party will protest against the raids, Shivakumar said the Congress will fight back legally and politically throughout the country, including the case involving Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.
"Sonia Gandhi has not done any personal property. We will definitely fight . We have faith in the court and the Court will give us justice," he added.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
