BANGALORE: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is turning up the heat on corrupt officials and politicians in the state. According to sources, the ED is collecting details to proceed against officials whose premises were raided by the Lokayukta in the last three days.
It has also collected details of many cases booked earlier. Sources in the Lokayukta told Express that the ED is currently looking into the details of cases involving two politicians and several other officials. They, however, refused to give names or details of the cases being currently scrutinised by the ED.
“Till now, the ED has taken up cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against five government servants who allegedly made assets disproportionate to their known sources of income. Also the Income Tax Department is in constant touch with Lokayukta on updates about corruption cases,” a senior official said. Now the corrupt will also have to face charges under the PMLA. In the last one year, the ED has attached properties of five government servants, booked for DA. “Officials from the ED collect copies of FIR for an inquiry and in some cases copy of the chargesheet. The ED is now taking up any case with more than `30 lakh worth DA under the PMLA. Any proceeds of crime will be confiscated and attached. Til now, assets seized under the Prevention of Corrupt Act were released after the accused filed an application for the same. However, now assets would be attached by the ED if no accounts are found,” the official said. A senior official told Express that already 13 cases of DA are under process for attachment by the ED officials.
The properties of former minister Katta Subramanya Naidu were attached after the Lokayukta filed the chargesheet. After Naidu, the ED took up the case involving B S Yeddyurappa.
The agency has attached few properties in the case with the CBI.
The ED has also taken up cases against government servants accused of amassing wealth.