BENGALURU: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Wednesday reportedly raided the premises of educational institutions belonging to Karnataka Home Minister Dr G Parameshwara, creating ripples in political circles. The opposition BJP linked it to actress Ranya Rao’s gold smuggling case, while senior Congress leaders strongly condemned the ED action, terming it a politically motivated move.
“ED, which was investigating Ranya Rao’s case for the last 2-3 months, might have had some credible information,” BJP spokesperson Prakash Shesharaghavachar told the media, linking it to the case of gold smuggling by Ranya Rao, who is in custody.
ED officials simultaneously raided Siddhartha medical colleges and hospitals at Tumakuru and Nelamangala, on Bengaluru outskirts, and the engineering college at Tumakuru. The searches started around 9 am and continued till evening. The officials verified documents related to alleged ‘hawala’ transactions, it is said. ED, however, is yet to make an official statement on the raids and seizures.
DCM DK Shivakumar defended Parameshwara, saying, “I am sure that the home minister is not involved in any such case as he is a decent, simple man. Like anyone who met him, the others (involved in Ranya Rao’s case) might have also met him. In no way Parameshwara is involved in it.”
AICC General Secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala came down heavily against Prime Minister Narendra Modi government, terming the raids vendetta politics aimed at Congress leaders.
“The ED raids on the Educational Institutions of Karnataka’s Home Minister, Dr. G. Parameshwara, one of the tallest SC Leaders, is a frustrated reaction of BJP & Modi Govt to giving of ownership rights to 1 Lakh SC-ST families yesterday at Hospet. The constant assault on Constitution and leaders of SC-ST-OBC communities across India has become a habitual pattern. The revenge seeking against Dr G Parameshwara is part of this sinister design,” he posted on X.
‘98% cases against Oppn’
“Dr Parameshwara has run Siddhartha Institute of Technology, Tumkuru that was set up 46 years ago in 1979 and Siddartha Medical College, Tumkuru was set up 28 years ago in 1988 in the rural hinterland of Tumkuru to light the lamp of education. It is indeed surprising that after 46 years of setting up of this institution, Modi Govt is searching for wrongdoing, while BJP’s corruption is being actively investigated by the Home Ministry and Dr. G. Parameshwara. The ED raids appear to be a desperate attempt to cover up the corruption of previous BJP Governments and stifle the voice of those who champion the voice of the oppressed,” Surjewala added.
RDPR Minister Priyank Kharge said, “On the floor of Parliament, BJP ministers themselves said there are 193 ED cases and that the conviction rate is a mere 2%. 98% of the cases are against Opposition leaders. They use every possible institution to intimidate us.” He said Parameshwara is a veteran politician with a clean record.