FIR Against Two ED Officials Over Intimidation to an Gazette Officer
BENGALURU: A First Information Report (FIR) against two Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials has been filed at Wilson Garden police station in Bengaluru city on Monday by B. Kallesh (54), Additional Director of Social Welfare Department, Bengaluru accusing the two ED officials of intimidation (July 16) to him to name Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, former minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare B. Nagendra and also officials of Finance department in the alleged fraudulent transactions in the accounts of Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.
When contacted, Kallesh did not respond to repeated phone calls to know why it took a week for him to file a police complaint over intimidation from ED officials.
The fraudulent transactions are under investigation from sleuths of Special Investigation Team under Criminal Investigation Department (CID) while Central Bureau of Investigation is also investigating the fraudulent transactions on a complaint filed by Union Bank of India where accounts of Valmiki Corporation were opened. Meanwhile, Enforcement Directorate officials are also investigating the case and have arrested former minister B. Nagendra in connection with the fraud.
In the complaint to the police, Kallesh alleged Mittal, an ED officer and Muruli Kannan, an ED official, based in Bengaluru city summoned him for inquiry into the alleged fraudulent transactions in the bank accounts of Valmiki Corporation and termed his inquiry by ED officials as against the law since he had no role in the fraudulent transactions in Valmiki Corporation.
Kallesh said he was summoned by ED officials on July 16 to appear for interrogation at ED office in Shantinagara of Bengaluru city with regard to the fraudulent transactions and ED officials posed 17 questions related to the fraud in the bank accounts of Valmiki Corporation.
The ED officials, he said, took his statement and denied him to give a copy of the statement furnished by him to ED. Again, he said, he was summoned for questioning on July 18 by ED officials.
Kallesh alleged in the complaint that he was pressured by Mittal and Muruli Kannan to admit fraudulent transactions in the bank accounts of the Valmiki Corporation on March 3, 2024. Even after denial of his role in the alleged fraudulent transactions, he said, he was threatened by ED officials to arrest him and make it difficult to secure bail in the fraudulent transactions for at least 2 years.
Later, Kallesh stated in the complaint that he was taken to Mittal by Muruli Kannan where he was abused by Mittal and threatened to arrest him on the spot. Continuing his allegation against ED officials, Kallesh accused Mittal of threatening him if he did not obey his orders and admit the alleged fraudulent transactions.
Mittal, he accused, exerted pressure on him to admit that the fraudulent transactions in Valmiki Corporation had consent of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, B. Nagendra and Finance department officials. Kallesh accused Mittal that ED would extend all possible support to him if he admitted in a written statement to the role of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, B. Nagendra and Finance department officials and if not obeyed then he would have to face jail term of about 7 years.
In the complaint, Kallesh sought suitable action against ED officials Mittal and Muruli Kannan terming his questioning as ‘illegal’ in connection with the alleged fraud in the bank accounts of Valmiki Corporation.
CHIEF MINISTER SIDDARAMAIAH