Karnataka home minister faces ED raids, deputy CM Shivakumar defends him

Karnataka Dy CM D K Shivakumar said home minister G Parameshwara had informed him about gifting a wedding present to Kannada actor Ranya Rao, expressing his support for the minister

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has been conducting raids against Karnataka’s Home Minister G Parameshwara for his alleged involvement in the gold smuggling case, involving actor Ranya Rao.

 

Expressing support for the home minister, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said on Thursday that Parameshwara informed him of giving a wedding gift to the actor, adding that there was “nothing wrong in it”, NDTV reported.

 

Speaking to the media, Shivakumar said, “I just spoke to Parameshwara, there was a marriage (ceremony), we are in public life, we run institutions. As a gesture to people we know, we give lots of gifts, we give ₹1, ₹10, ₹10 lakh, ₹5 lakh. I think he might have also given a gift. It was a marriage, nothing wrong with it.”

 

Shivakumar supports Parameshwara

Defending the home minister, Shivakumar said that no politician will support the activities that Ranya Rao is accused of. He further said, “Whatever activities done by that lady are a personal issue, the law will take its course. As far as Parameshwar is concerned, we meet thousands of people, we don’t know who does what. We don’t want to interfere with the law and ED. I just discussed with him, I asked him what the reality is. He said at the time of marriage, he has given, he has gifted, quite natural.”

 

Parameshwara under scanner for alleged involvement

The investigating agency is probing Parameshwara’s role in the gold smuggling case and has continued searches at several locations linked to the Karnataka home minister. A PTI report, citing ED sources, said, “An educational trust is suspected to have ‘diverted’ funds and made a payment of ₹40 lakh towards the credit card bill of Rao, allegedly on the instructions of an influential individual.”

 

Kannada actor Ranya Rao was arrested by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) at Kempegowda International Airport on March 3 on charges of smuggling gold. The actor landed at Kempegowda from Dubai and was apprehended at the airport, after the officials received a tip-off, and they seized gold bars worth 14.2 kg, which were valued at over ₹12.56 crore.

 

(With PTI inputs)