Bengaluru, June 17 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday issued a summons to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar’s brother and former Congress MP D.K. Suresh in a cheating and money laundering case involving alleged con woman Aishwarya Gowda.

Aishwarya Gowda is accused of cheating a Bengaluru-based jeweller of gold valued at Rs 9.82 crore, falsely claiming to be the sister of Shivakumar and Suresh. The ED had recently recovered Rs 2.25 crore in unaccounted cash at the residence of a 33-year-old woman, who was arrested on charges of money laundering.

Reacting to the development, Suresh said that ED officials had issued a summons to him asking him to appear for questioning on June 19. “I have told them that due to prior engagement, I won’t be able to appear on June 19, and instead will appear before the ED on June 23,” he said.

“I have no connection or financial transaction with the accused Aishwarya Gowda. Since she hails from our constituency, I had attended two of her programmes. There is no connection with the case. The ED officers have sought information regarding the financial transactions. I will know the exact matter once I appear before the ED officers and they question me. Afterwards, I will be able to share the information. There is no connection with her. I had written a letter to the police department to conduct a comprehensive investigation regarding the case,” Suresh added.

Meanwhile, Shivakumar said: “The ED officers have come to issue the notice, and I have directed it to be received. My brother has lodged a police complaint in this regard. Many people have approached me, saying that Aishwarya Gowda is claiming that she is our sister and cheating people. Let that be investigated. We will cooperate with the investigation. We respect the law, and we are in a position to deliver justice.”

It is alleged that Gowda, allegedly posing as the sister of Shivakumar and Suresh, blackmailed jewellers and business centres.

The ED, Bengaluru Zonal Office, had arrested her, under Section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, on Friday for being found allegedly involved in the offence of money laundering.

After the arrest, she was produced before the Special PMLA Court, and the court granted ED her custody for 14 days.

The ED also conducted search operations at 14 locations related to Gowda and her accomplices on April 24 and April 25 under the provisions of the PMLA, and various incriminating documents related to money laundering activities through movable/immovable properties and other digital devices were found and seized.

In addition to the evidence, the proceeds of crime, in the form of cash amounting to nearly Rs 2.25 crore, were also found and seized, the ED said.

The ED initiated an investigation on the basis of multiple FIRs registered by the various police stations in Karnataka against Aishwarya Gowda, her husband Harish K.N. and others under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita, accusing them of entering into a criminal conspiracy to defraud and cheat several individuals by taking gold, cash and funds through bank accounts from them promising a high rate of return.

However, the accused had allegedly neither returned the money nor given the promised return and also threatened the investors with dire consequences in case of further pursuance of the matter by claiming Gowda’s proximity to various high-profile politicians.

–IANS

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