Home minister G Parameshwara says ‘need to know reason’ for ED raids against MLA NA Haris’s sons

BENGALURU: Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday demanded know the reason for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raids at the residence of Mohammed Haris Nalapad and Omar Farook Nalapad, the sons of Shantinagar MLA N A Harris, in connection with an alleged cybercrime and money laundering network case.

“The ED raided the house of MLA N A Haris’s son. We need to know the reason for the raid. An SIT has been formed for the Bitcoin case; its report is yet to come. I also feel that the report has been delayed”, G Parameshwara said.

Earlier, Minister Priyank Kharge levelled allegations against Income Tax (I-T), Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of operating as “political tools of BJP.” Speaking with mediapersons, Kharge condemned the ED searches across Karnataka against notorious cyber hacker Srikrishna Ramesh alias Sriki in connection with a cybercrime and money laundering network case and said that the reason for the raids is unclear.

“I-T, ED and CBI are nothing but political tools for the BJP. What were they doing for so long? We don’t even know why the raids are being conducted. Let ED come up with a chargesheet, and we will know what they are being raided for. ED’s conviction rate is only 2%. They are the BJP regime’s puppets,” he stated.

The ED searches got under way early on Monday morning, covering 12 premises spread across Karnataka under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).

Officials said the ED’s action is part of its investigation in this case, initiated based on multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) and chargesheets filed by Karnataka Police alleging offences such as hacking of national and international websites, stealing of bitcoins, extortion and violation of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act.

The search operation covered the residence of Mohammed Haris Nalapad and Omar Farook Nalapad, the sons of NA Harris, who is a sitting MLA from Shantinagar Constituency in Bengaluru.

The searches are being carried out by the ED’s Bengaluru unit, which is leading the investigation into what officials describe as an alleged complex web of cyber intrusions and financial transactions aimed at concealing illicit gains. (ANI)