Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, Sep 10: In a significant escalation of its crackdown on financial crimes, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Congress MLA Satish Sail in Bengaluru in connection with a money laundering investigation.

Sail, who represents Karwar in the Karnataka Assembly, was taken into custody while appearing for questioning before the agency. With this development, he becomes the third Congress legislator in the state to be arrested by the ED in recent months.

The arrest follows back-to-back raids conducted by ED officials on August 13 and 14 at Sail’s residence in Karwar, located in Uttara Kannada district. During the searches, investigators allegedly seized large sums of unaccounted cash, gold ornaments, and incriminating documents.

The case is believed to be linked to an illegal areca nut transport racket, with possible connections to hawala networks and financial misappropriation. The ED also carried out searches at multiple locations associated with the MLA, including properties in Goa, Mumbai, and Delhi, suggesting a broader financial web.

Sources revealed that during the Karwar operation, officials recovered assets worth several crores and packed them — including gold, cash, and documents — into two large trunks, which were then transported for further examination.

Sail had been summoned for questioning following the raids. After multiple rounds of interrogation and verification of documents, the ED formally arrested him on Monday based on preliminary findings.

While the agency has not yet issued a formal statement detailing the specific charges, the arrest falls under the ambit of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). Further legal proceedings and custodial interrogation are expected in the coming days.

The arrest adds to the Congress party’s troubles in Karnataka, with the ED widening its net in high-profile financial cases involving elected representatives.