Will gift foreign properties to govt if any are found: K'taka Cong MLA throws challenge after ED raids

Bengaluru, July 12 (IANS) Three-time Congress MLA, S.N. Subba Reddy on Saturday challenged that if authorities find any properties in his name on foreign soil, he will gift them to the government.

MLA Reddy issued the statement following raids conducted by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) at his residence and other properties.

Sources claimed that the raids were based on specific leads suggesting that Reddy had amassed properties in countries such as Germany, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and others.

Speaking to the media, MLA Reddy maintained that his political opponents had hatched a conspiracy against him, forged documents, and submitted false information to the ED to defame him.

“I have not acquired any property abroad. My photographs have been morphed. My opponents have superimposed my face onto images of another person. They have created fake documents showing that I own properties in foreign countries and submitted them to the ED,” he said.

Based on these fabricated documents and morphed photographs, ED officials conducted raids on my premises, Reddy alleged.

“If it is proven that I have invested even a single paisa in any foreign country, I will hand over that property to the government,” he declared.

“I have not travelled to Germany, Malaysia, or Hong Kong in the last 15 years. In fact, I have never visited Germany in my entire life. I suspect that a defeated candidate from the recent state Assembly elections is behind this conspiracy,” he added.

“It is falsely shown that I purchased a property owned by one Ramaswamy Veeran. They have edited photographs to make it appear as though I am the owner of overseas properties,” he said.

“The ED conducted raids based on these false documents. I, too, have obtained copies of these documents and had approached the cybercrime police to lodge a complaint, but it was not accepted. I will now lodge a formal complaint and file a case in court,” MLA Reddy concluded.

The ED conducted raids on the residence and properties of Subba Reddy in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Sources stated, the case pertains to allegations of undisclosed foreign assets held by Subba Reddy and his family members.

The searches were conducted under the provisions of Section 37 of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), according to sources. The raids were conducted at five locations.

The ED reportedly received complaints regarding deposits by the MLA in foreign bank accounts and the purchase of immovable properties in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Germany, and other countries.

MLA Reddy represents the Bagepalli Assembly constituency in Chikkaballapura District.

--IANS

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