Bengaluru, India – The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday began conducting raids at over 15 locations linked to Karnataka Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, including his residences in Bengaluru, Belagavi, and Gokak. The searches also extended to the residences of his family members, associates, and businesses linked to the Jarkiholi family. There is no clarity on whether the Minister is at any of the locations being raided or not.
The raids come months after the ED raided Y. Manjunath, a senior Excise official and brother-in-law of Satish Jarkiholi, in June earlier this year under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The case stemmed from an FIR registered by the Lokayukta Police against excise officials over allegations of corruption, with Manjunath facing charges of gaining illicit wealth by granting liquor licenses in violation of rules. At the time, the ED had stated that an “organised syndicate involving public officials, intermediaries and private individuals” was engaged in the systematic collection and distribution of bribes.
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Satish Jarkiholi had previously held the Excise Minister portfolio in Karnataka between 2013 and 2016. Following the earlier raids on Manjunath, Jarkiholi had said he was yet to understand why his brother-in-law was raided, refusing to call the raids politically motivated. However, the ED is yet to clarify whether the ongoing raids against Jarkiholi are linked to the earlier excise case or an entirely new investigation.
