BENGALURU: The ongoing Enforcement Directorate investigation has revealed that former Commissioner of Mysuru Urban Development Authority (MUDA) GT Dinesh Kumar allegedly obtained Rs 22.47crore in bribes by illegally allotting 283 sites, worth Rs 140 crore, during his tenure.
Sources said investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, revealed that proceeds of crime in the form of 1,095 illegally allotted sites, worth about Rs 700 crore, have been generated through criminal activities associated with the offence. The list of 1,095 sites was furnished to the ED by the incumbent MUDA commissioner during a search.
Terming Dinesh Kumar as one of the ‘masterminds of the scam’, the ED probe revealed that he had received gratification in the form of cash, movable and immovable properties for making illegal allotments. He has directly attempted to indulge, knowingly assist, and is party to involvement in activity connected with proceeds of crime and its possession, acquisition, concealment, etc.
Sources say that of Rs 22.47 crore bribe or illegal gratification obtained by Dinesh Kumar, ED quantified that he had collected Rs 34.65 lakh in cash, earned Rs 8.28 crore by misusing high security bond papers, benefited from Rs 5.86 crore through members of Chamundeshwari Nagara Sarvodaya Sangh, Rs 3.62 crore from Abdul Waheed, Rs 1.70 crore from Cathedral Parish Society, Rs 1.13 crore from Ningamma, Rs 1.02 crore from JSS Mahavidyapeetha Employees House Building Cooperative Society and Rs 49 lakh from Ningamma as ‘returns’ for the compensatory sites allotted illegally.
Brokers also benefited from illegal allotments
Stating that Kumar has used a complex method for routing proceeds of crime, he said Kumar, a Karnataka Administrative Services officer who served as MUDA commissioner for about 26 months from May 4, 2022, to July 2, 2024.
Sources said investigation so far by the ED prima facie, indicates involvement of several real estate businessmen or brokers who have derived proceeds of crime through illegal allotment of sites and their sale.
Investigation is on to trace and quantify the overall proceeds of crime, and gather evidence on the offence of money laundering in the hands of Kumar and other persons involved, where proceeds of crime worth crores of rupees has been generated, sources said.
The ED arrested Dinesh Kumar, who is now in judicial custody, after it registered a complaint on a scheduled offence arising out of the First Information Report registered by Lokayukta police against Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his wife Parvathy BM, brother-in-law Mallikarjuna Swamy, Devaraju and others, under the provisions of IPC, Prevention of Corruption Act, Benami Transactions Act and Karnataka Land Grabbing Prohibition Act.