Karwar, August 14, 2025: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Bengaluru unit, conducted extensive raids on August 13 and 14, 2025, targeting premises linked to Karwar Congress MLA Satish Krishna Sail in connection with an illegal iron ore export and money laundering case. The operations, carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), spanned Karwar, Goa, Mumbai, and New Delhi.

During the raids, the ED seized ₹1.68 crore in cash and 6.75 kg of gold jewelry and bullion. Additionally, bank accounts holding approximately ₹14.13 crore were frozen. The agency also recovered incriminating documents, emails, and other evidence related to the case, as stated in an official ED release shared via their X account.

The investigation stems from a 2010 Karnataka Lokayukta probe that uncovered the illegal transport of around eight lakh tonnes of iron ore from Ballari to Belekeri port, causing an estimated ₹38 crore loss to the state exchequer, though the actual value of the exported ore is believed to be in the hundreds of crores. A special court in Bengaluru had previously convicted Sail and others, sentencing him to seven years in prison, though the Karnataka High Court suspended the sentence and granted bail in 2024.

The ED’s probe focuses on Sail’s alleged role through his company, Shree Mallikarjun Shipping Pvt. Ltd., in illegally exporting 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of seized iron ore between April and June 2010, valued at ₹86.78 crore. The ongoing investigation continues to scrutinize financial transactions and property records to uncover the full extent of the money-laundering network.