Saturday | May 24 2025 | 01:07:35 AM
New Delhi, April 29
Directorate of Enforcement (ED) arrested Aishwarya Gowda, under section 19 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002 for being found involved in the offense of money laundering.
After the arrest, she was produced before the Special Court (PMLA) and she was pleased to grant ED custody of the accused for 14 days, ED informed.
ED also conducted search operations at 14 locations related to Aishwarya Gowda and her accomplices on under the provisions of PMLA, 2002.
The searches were conducted at 14 locations linked to Gowda, Congress MLA Vinay Kulkarni and Congress leader Thibbegowda, with whom Gowda was found to have done financial transactions of over Rs 80 crore.
During the said search operations, various incriminating documents related to money laundering activities through movable/immovable properties and other digital devices have been found and seized. In addition to the evidences, the Proceeds of Crime in the form of cash to the tune of Rs. 2.25 Crore (approx.) was also found and seized.
Earlier, ED initiated investigation on the basis of Multiple FIRs registered by the various Police Stations of Karnataka against Aishwarya Gowda, her husband Harish KN and others under various sections of IPC/BNSS.
The allegation in the FIRs is that Aishwarya Gowda, her husband Harish KN and others have entered into a criminal conspiracy to defraud and cheat several individuals by taking gold, cash and funds through Bank accounts from them promising high rate of return. However, the accused has neither returned the money nor given the promised return and also threatened the investors of dire consequences in case of further pursuance of the matter by claiming her proximity to various high profile politicians.
The ED has found that Gowda was given a loan of Rs 24 crore by Kulkarni. Previously, it was alleged that Gowda gifted Kulkarni a Mercedes Benz car but the MLA denied the accusation and claimed that Gowda was only a casual acquaintance.
Gowda is alleged to have failed to return the money to Kulkarni and later negotiated a deal for influencing a witness in a murder case in which the MLA is accused. She is also accused of being involved in a Rs 60 crore transaction with Congress leader Tibbegowda.
Gowda allegedly often posed as the sister of Karnataka Congress leader D K Suresh and Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar to gain access to wealthy doctors and businessmen. The Bengaluru police have booked her in four cases of cheating over the last one year.
She is also accused of using police contacts to access the call record details of one of her cheating victims, the owner of a jewellery store. Vanitha Aithal accused Gowda of taking gold and money worth over Rs 8 crore, promising high returns, and then betraying her trust.
