The Enforcement Directorate has conducted searches at around 18 locations linked to Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi, his daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi and associates as part of a money laundering investigation. The searches reportedly cover Bengaluru, Belagavi and Gokak and relate to alleged irregularities involving bar licences and suspected financial transactions in the state Excise Department. Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar accused the BJP-led Centre of politically targeting Congress leaders through central agencies. The allegations under investigation have not been established through a final judicial determination.
Satish Jarkiholi ED Searches Trigger Political Clash as DK Shivakumar Accuses Centre of Targeting Congress
The Enforcement Directorate on Friday conducted searches at about 18 locations linked to Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi, his daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi and associates in connection with a money laundering probe.
The ED’s searches against Satish Jarkiholi have now widened to Bengaluru, Belagavi and Gokak, with properties linked to his family and close associates being covered as part of an ongoing money laundering probe.
The Enforcement Directorate carried out searches at around 18 places linked to Satish Jarkiholi, including his residence in Bengaluru and government quarters and properties in Belagavi and Gokak.
The operation was initiated on Wednesday morning as part of a probe into alleged irregularities relating to bar licences and suspected financial transactions linked to the Karnataka Excise Department.
Sources close to the minister said that places in Maharashtra were covered. Houses of Jarkiholi’s daughter and Chikkodi MP Priyanka Jarkiholi were also searched.
Satish Jarkiholi ED Raids Follow Earlier Manjunath Searches
The searches come weeks after the Enforcement Directorate raided the properties of Joint Commissioner of Excise Y Manjunath, Jarkiholi’s brother-in-law.
The agency said the Wednesday raids were not linked to the alleged excise case against Manjunath, but were part of a separate money laundering case against Satish Jarkiholi.
The larger investigation is related to alleged corruption in the Excise Department of Karnataka, including irregularities in the grant of 18 bar licences and alleged illicit money flows.
The investigators are probing whether Jarkiholi used his influence to ease the licences and if the money generated through the alleged irregularities was transferred or invested abroad.
The Enforcement Directorate had reportedly detected cash, gold and foreign currency in the earlier probe into Manjunath’s properties, including the examination of about Rs 3 crore in suspected illegal foreign funds.
ED officials are understood to be scanning documents, financial records and electronic data as the investigators try to track the alleged money trail and establish the role of individuals.
Sources said premises of several associates of Satish Jarkiholi were also reportedly searched, including those of Raju Daragshetti in Gokak, Dr Girish Sonwalkar and Vittal Parasannanavar in Belagavi.
Senior Congress leader and Karnataka minister Satish Jarkiholi and the minister’s daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi, who is the Lok Sabha member from Chikkodi.
Also Read: Trump Urges Putin to Quickly End Ukraine War, Kremlin Signals Support.
DK Shivakumar Challenges Centre Over Enforcement Directorate Action
The probe comes against the backdrop of continuing political sparring between the Congress government in Karnataka and the BJP-led central government over the use of central investigative agencies.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar accused the BJP-led Central government of using the Enforcement Directorate to target the Congress government and its leaders in Karnataka for political reasons.
“The ED can take up for investigation around 40 MLAs and ministers of the Congress, and our party’s leaders should be careful,” Shivakumar told reporters on Wednesday.
Shivakumar alleged that the Centre was deliberately targeting the Congress leaders and warned the ministers and legislators that the Enforcement Directorate would not spare anyone.
He also accused the government of manufacturing fake allegations and concocted narratives to cheat the people. “Why were the old FIRs registered against BJP leaders not put under the same scanner?” he asked.
The chief minister, referring to the cases involving the Bhovi Development Corporation, said the investigations were selective and questioned the Centre’s method of enforcement.
Such pressure will be on the Congress government, said Shivakumar, but insisted that the party will continue to respond through political and legal channels.”
He also alleged that the Centre was targeting Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge and said the situation was inconsistent with democracy.
Investigation Now Focuses on Financial Trail
The searches by the Enforcement Directorate are expected to focus on financial records and digital evidence. The next steps in the case will depend on the evidence collected during the operation.
At this point, the searches themselves do not prove guilt, and allegations against Satish Jarkiholi, his associates, or family members are still subject to investigation and due process.
Where it goes from here will likely depend on what evidence is uncovered during the searches, any further statements from the Enforcement Directorate, and any legal cases that emerge from the investigation.
