Bengaluru: Karnataka Legislative Council Opposition Leader Chalavadi Narayanaswamy on Thursday said corruption should not be viewed through the lens of caste while commenting on the Enforcement Directorate’s searches linked to State Public Works Minister Satish Jarkiholi.

Reacting to the ED action, Narayanaswamy said investigating agencies such as the ED, Income Tax Department and Central Bureau of Investigation were established under the Constitution and were carrying out their respective duties. He said the issue should be seen as one concerning alleged corruption rather than caste.

“There is no caste in corruption,” Narayanaswamy said, stressing that the investigation should be allowed to proceed on its merits.

Narayanaswamy says corruption has no caste

Narayanaswamy’s remarks came amid a political debate over the ED searches involving Jarkiholi and members of his family.

The BJP leader said the constitutional agencies have a responsibility to investigate suspected wrongdoing and that their actions should not automatically be interpreted through a caste-based political lens.

His comments come at a time when the searches have triggered a sharp political exchange between the ruling Congress and the Opposition in Karnataka.

The ED conducted searches at multiple premises linked to Jarkiholi, his daughter and Chikkodi MP Priyanka Jarkiholi, and associates as part of a probe involving alleged financial irregularities and overseas investments.

ED searches Jarkiholi-linked premises

The Enforcement Directorate began searches on September 9 at several locations in Karnataka and Maharashtra. The operation covered properties linked to Satish Jarkiholi, Priyanka Jarkiholi and other individuals associated with the family.

According to reports, investigators are examining alleged foreign exchange transactions and investments connected to business ventures in African countries. The probe is also examining allegations concerning irregularities in the issuance of bar licences and the movement of funds outside India.

The searches included Jarkiholi’s residence in Bengaluru’s Dollars Colony, his official quarters and properties in Belagavi and Gokak. Premises linked to some of his associates were also searched.

The investigation is reportedly being conducted under provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), with the agency examining financial trails and documents relating to overseas investments.

Jarkiholi rejects allegations

Satish Jarkiholi has rejected the allegations concerning overseas investments.

Speaking after the searches, the Karnataka PWD Minister said he had answered questions raised by ED officials and would provide information for matters where he needed additional time.

Jarkiholi also denied making investments abroad. He said preparations had been made with an intention to invest, but maintained that he had not actually made such investments.

He also described the ED searches as potentially politically motivated and questioned the need for an extensive search when the agency could have sought documents through notices.

Jarkiholi said ED officials had found cash at his residence but maintained that the money belonged to his family. The New Indian Express reported that he put the amount at between ₹1 crore and ₹2 crore.

The ED, meanwhile, has reportedly seized documents concerning foreign entities linked to mining assets in Africa along with unaccounted cash. A later report by The Tribune put the total Indian and foreign currency seized during the September 9 and 10 searches at around ₹3.3 crore and ₹15 lakh respectively.

These are investigative findings and allegations at this stage and do not establish criminal liability.

Congress calls raids politically motivated

The ED searches have also led to strong reactions from Congress leaders.

Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has described the action as politically motivated and said Congress leaders were being targeted by central agencies. Home Minister G Parameshwara and other Congress leaders have also questioned the timing and manner of the searches.

Jarkiholi himself echoed the allegation of political targeting, saying he believed there were “bigger fish” involved in the matter and that the agency’s action had raised questions.

The BJP, however, has defended the ED investigation and argued that allegations of corruption or financial irregularities should be investigated irrespective of the political or social background of the individuals involved.

Narayanaswamy’s latest comments reflect that position, with the Opposition Leader insisting that the issue should be treated as an investigation into alleged corruption rather than a caste-related controversy.

Investigation remains underway

The ED’s investigation is continuing, with officials examining financial records, documents and other material collected during the searches.

Reports indicate that the agency is looking into alleged financial flows connected to foreign business ventures, including investments in African countries, as well as the wider financial trail under investigation.

Jarkiholi has said he is prepared to provide documents to establish the legitimacy of his family’s business interests and investments.

At present, the allegations being examined by the ED remain part of an ongoing investigation. Any conclusions regarding wrongdoing or criminal liability will depend on the evidence gathered and subsequent legal proceedings.

Political debate intensifies in Karnataka

The controversy has added another layer to the political confrontation between the Congress government and the BJP in Karnataka.

While Congress leaders have questioned the use of central investigative agencies, the BJP has maintained that agencies must be allowed to investigate allegations without political interference.

Narayanaswamy’s statement attempts to shift the focus back to the substance of the investigation. By saying that “there is no caste in corruption”, he argued that the ED, Income Tax Department and CBI should be allowed to perform their constitutional responsibilities.

The ongoing probe and the political reactions surrounding it are likely to keep the issue in focus as investigators examine the financial records and other material gathered during the searches.