Bengaluru: PWD minister Satish Jarkiholi Saturday said he knows who complained against him to Enforcement Directorate (ED) and has informed CM DK Shivakumar about the person. He, however, declined to reveal the identity of the complainant.“I know who gave the complaint. I knew it earlier. There is nothing wrong in making a complaint; everyone has the right to do so. I have told the CM who has given it and it’s up to him now,” Jarkiholi said.On whether the complainant was from Congress, Jarkiholi said the person had links with the party but was a BJP voter. “That person has a relationship with Congress, but the voter’s party is BJP. So it is a 50:50 case. It is difficult to say anything,” he said.His remarks came as BJP state president BY Vijayendra questioned whether the internal rivalry within Congress and the race for the 2028 chief minister’s post could be behind the ED actions on Jarkiholi and his family. “There are discussions on whether internal differences in Congress and the fight for the chief minister’s post have led to a conspiracy or a plot,” Vijayendra said, ruling out any BJP role in the ED searches.Vijayendra said there was speculation that people within Congress who had information about Jarkiholi could have passed it to ED and “trapped” him. He also alleged that the action could be aimed at sidelining Jarkiholi as a potential contender for the CM’s post.Jarkiholi said he was prepared to face ED with documents. “These are only allegations. I have options to prove myself. I will place the facts before ED. Let there be an investigation and let the truth come out,” he said.On alleged investments in Rwanda, Jarkiholi said ED officials had questioned him and he had told them that he had made no foreign investments. He said the agency would have to issue a notice and provide documents supporting its allegations before he could respond in detail.“If ED issues a notice, I will answer. ED raids won’t damage me,” he said, adding that the process could take three to six months.Friday, ED said it had seized Rs 3.4 crore in cash during searches at 21 premises linked to Jarkiholi, his family members and associates in Bengaluru, Belagavi, Gokak and Kolkata on Sept 9 and 10. The searches were conducted under the Foreign Exchange Management Act in connection with suspected undisclosed overseas investments, cross-border business links and alleged financial irregularities.The agency alleged that the Jarkiholi family had acquired stakes in foreign entities and that money was collected from PWD contractors as bribes. Jarkiholi has denied making any foreign investments and rejected the bribery allegations.Opposition leader in the legislative assembly R Ashoka alleged that Jarkiholi’s remarks about trying to ascertain whether the person who complained against him to ED was from Congress or outside the party exposed the ruling party’s internal conflict.He alleged that Congress functionaries had reached a stage where they were complaining against their own colleagues to investigative agencies to politically weaken them. Ashoka also alleged corruption and misuse of public money for overseas investments, accusing the govt of prioritising internal power struggles over public issues.
