Enforcement Directorate charges former MUDA commissioner in site allotment scam

Bengaluru: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday said it had filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC), its equivalent of a police charge sheet, against former MUDA commissioner GT Dinesh Kumar in connection with the illegal site allotment scam. 

The PC was filed before the special court for trial of MPs/MLAs cases at Bengaluru (CCH-82) on November 14, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002. 

"The evidence and documents collected during the course of investigation in this case have indicated active involvement of G T Dinesh Kumar in the comprehensive money laundering scheme perpetrated at MUDA, Mysuru, during his tenure as commissioner," an ED statement said. 

The ED initiated investigation based on an FIR registered by the Lokayukta police over alleged large-scale illegal allotment of MUDA sites. CM Siddaramaiah and his wife B M Parvathi were among those accused by the agency. 

According to the ED, its investigation revealed a "large-scale scam" in allotment of MUDA sites by flouting various statutes and government orders/guidelines and other fraudulent means. 

"The role of Dinesh Kumar has emerged as instrumental in illegal allotment of compensation sites to ineligible entities/individuals. The evidences with respect to obtaining bribe for making illegal allotments in the form of cash, bank transfer, movable/immovable properties have been gathered during the course of the investigation," it added. 

The modus operandi for making illegal allotment involved identification of ineligible beneficiaries and making allotment using fake documents/incomplete documents in direct violation of government orders and also back dating of allotment letters in some cases, it noted. 

"The gratification received for making these illegal allotments was routed through a co-operative society and bank accounts of the relatives/associates of Dinesh Kumar, who played a key role in the allotment process. The gratification, thus received, was further used to purchase some of these illegally allotted MUDA sites in the name of relatives of Dinesh Kumar," the ED said. 

Kumar was arrested on September 16 and is currently in judicial custody.