The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Wednesday searched several properties linked to Karnataka Excise Department Additional Commissioner Y Manjunath, who is also the son-in-law of state Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi, in a probe into alleged suspicious foreign transactions and suspected benami assets, people familiar with the matter said.
The coordinated searches began early Wednesday at Manjunath’s residence in Hanumanth Nagar in Belagavi and extended to an apartment linked to him in Bengaluru, a friend’s house in Ainapur village in Athani taluk, and properties belonging to his relatives and close associates in Mysuru, Arsikere and Tumakuru, the people said. Officials examined documents and other records during the operation, which was carried out under tight security measures.
The investigation concerns allegations of suspicious financial transactions abroad, illegal transfers of funds to foreign countries and the alleged acquisition of Benami assets, people familiar with the investigation said. However, the ED has not officially disclosed the basis of the searches or the specific allegations being investigated.
Responding to questions in Belagavi, Jarkiholi said it was too early to draw conclusions about the ED’s actions. “This could be a departmental matter. It could also be a routine inspection. We don’t have any precise information yet. We won’t know why the search was conducted until the information is officially released. We can’t say anything about it until we get complete information. Let’s wait until tomorrow.”
Searches continued until Wednesday, while the CEO has yet to issue an official statement explaining the scope or purpose of the operation.
Manjunath is the son of former Ballari MP Devendrabha. He is married to Satish Jarkiholi’s sister as well as to BJP legislators Ramesh Jarkiholi and Balachandra Jarkiholi, placing him in one of Karnataka’s most famous political families.
