Overview
- Enforcement Directorate teams carried out coordinated searches at multiple properties across Karnataka connected to Excise Additional Commissioner Dr. Y. Manjunath, with officials seizing documents and electronic records for further analysis.
- Locations raided included residences in Belagavi, Bengaluru, Mysuru, Arasikere and Ainapur that investigators say are linked to the officer through associates and relatives.
- Investigators allege Manjunath may have used benami transactions to acquire land, bars, restaurants and other assets that exceed his known income and have registered a probe under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
- At one Mysuru home registered to retired inspector Yamuna, ED officers spent hours searching, seized material and accompanied her to a bank to verify transactions as part of financial checks.
- The ED deployed CRPF personnel for security instead of local police, citing concerns about political influence, and the agency says forensic examination of the seized financial and digital material is ongoing.