<p>Gadag: Union Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/prahlad-joshi">Pralhad Joshi</a> has claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on Karnataka Home Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/g-parameshwara">G Parameshwara</a> were the result of factionalism within the Congress's Karnataka unit.</p>.<p>Joshi said a faction of the ruling Congress in Karnataka had provided all the information to the ED, which led to raids on institutions linked to Parameshwara.</p>.<p>The ED raided 16 locations on Wednesday and Thursday, some linked to Parameshwara, including Siddhartha Institute of Technology and Siddhartha Medical College.</p>.<p>The raids were conducted in connection with a gold smuggling case involving the Kannada film actress Harshavardhini Ranya, also known as Ranya Rao.</p>.<p>The ED suspects that Rs 40 lakh was "diverted" from one of Parameshwara’s institutions to pay Ranya’s credit card bill.</p>.Karnataka HC upholds conviction of cop for demanding Rs 10K to close criminal case.<p>“Who wrote to the ED asking them to take action? A faction within the Congress sent all the information to the ED against Parameshwara, and now they are staging a drama here,” Joshi told reporters in Gadag.</p>.<p>“I want to make it clear that I respect Parameshwara—he is a cultured politician. The point is, the ED is investigating because there were complaints. A faction within the Congress had filed a complaint with the ED,” he added.</p>.<p>Joshi claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is aware of the faction that sent the complaint to the ED.</p>.<p>“Ask Siddaramaiah—he’ll tell you. He has the intelligence wing under his control. Are you just putting on a show, Mr Siddaramaiah?” Joshi asked.</p>.<p>Noting that the ED is acting in accordance with the law, Joshi clarified that the raids were not being carried out because Parameshwara is the Home Minister or a Congress leader, but because a complaint was made by a faction within the Congress.</p>.<p>Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after arriving from Dubai.</p>.<p>Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials detained her and seized gold bars weighing 14.2 kg, valued at over Rs 12.56 crore.</p>.<p>She is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank officer K Ramachandra Rao.</p>
<p>Gadag: Union Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/prahlad-joshi">Pralhad Joshi</a> has claimed that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids on Karnataka Home Minister <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tags/g-parameshwara">G Parameshwara</a> were the result of factionalism within the Congress's Karnataka unit.</p>.<p>Joshi said a faction of the ruling Congress in Karnataka had provided all the information to the ED, which led to raids on institutions linked to Parameshwara.</p>.<p>The ED raided 16 locations on Wednesday and Thursday, some linked to Parameshwara, including Siddhartha Institute of Technology and Siddhartha Medical College.</p>.<p>The raids were conducted in connection with a gold smuggling case involving the Kannada film actress Harshavardhini Ranya, also known as Ranya Rao.</p>.<p>The ED suspects that Rs 40 lakh was "diverted" from one of Parameshwara’s institutions to pay Ranya’s credit card bill.</p>.Karnataka HC upholds conviction of cop for demanding Rs 10K to close criminal case.<p>“Who wrote to the ED asking them to take action? A faction within the Congress sent all the information to the ED against Parameshwara, and now they are staging a drama here,” Joshi told reporters in Gadag.</p>.<p>“I want to make it clear that I respect Parameshwara—he is a cultured politician. The point is, the ED is investigating because there were complaints. A faction within the Congress had filed a complaint with the ED,” he added.</p>.<p>Joshi claimed that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is aware of the faction that sent the complaint to the ED.</p>.<p>“Ask Siddaramaiah—he’ll tell you. He has the intelligence wing under his control. Are you just putting on a show, Mr Siddaramaiah?” Joshi asked.</p>.<p>Noting that the ED is acting in accordance with the law, Joshi clarified that the raids were not being carried out because Parameshwara is the Home Minister or a Congress leader, but because a complaint was made by a faction within the Congress.</p>.<p>Ranya Rao was arrested on March 3 at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru after arriving from Dubai.</p>.<p>Acting on a tip-off, DRI officials detained her and seized gold bars weighing 14.2 kg, valued at over Rs 12.56 crore.</p>.<p>She is the stepdaughter of DGP-rank officer K Ramachandra Rao.</p>