Bengaluru, Sept 9: The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Wednesday launched searches at residences and other premises linked to Karnataka Public Works Department (PWD) Minister Satish Jarkiholi and his daughter Priyanka Jarkiholi, Congress MP from the Chikkodi Lok Sabha constituency.

The ED has said it has registered a fresh case against Satish Jarkiholi.

The searches are being conducted at the Jarkiholis’ residences in Bengaluru, Belagavi and Gokak, among other locations. A total of 18 premises, including those linked to family members, associates and businesses connected to the Jarkiholi family, are being searched.

Premises linked to senior Excise Department official Y. Manjunath, who is Jarkiholi’s brother-in-law, are also being searched. Manjunath was among those raided by the ED in June this year in connection with a money-laundering case involving alleged corruption in the Excise Department.

There is, however, no immediate clarity on whether Satish Jarkiholi is present at any of the locations being searched.

Fresh case against Satish Jarkiholi

The ED has clarified that Wednesday’s searches linked to the Jarkiholi family are not connected to the Excise Department case and relate to an independent, newly registered case against the PWD Minister.

In June, while investigating the Excise Department case, the agency had alleged the existence of an “organised syndicate involving public officials, intermediaries and private individuals engaged in systematic collection and distribution of bribes”.

According to the ED, several officials had allegedly obtained liquor licences in the names of their family members or entities controlled by them and operated businesses indirectly.

Satish Jarkiholi had served as Karnataka’s Excise Minister between 2013 and 2016. The Jarkiholi family has significant business interests in the sugar and liquor sectors.

The ED has now registered a fresh Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against Satish Jarkiholi. However, it is not immediately clear whether the new case was triggered by leads or evidence gathered during the agency’s June searches of premises linked to Y. Manjunath.

Further details about the fresh case are awaited.