Bengaluru, 24 Aug

Congress MLA KC Veerendra, popularly known as 'Puppy', has been remanded to Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody until 28 August in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to illegal betting activities.

According to sources, the 50-year-old MLA was flown in from Sikkim on Sunday morning, where a special ED team apprehended him upon his arrival at Kempegowda International Airport.

To ensure security during the transfer, strict measures were enforced at Terminal 2. Following his arrival, Veerendra was swiftly taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation as the authorities sought to uncover his local connections.

On Friday, the ED executed searches across multiple locations in states including Karnataka, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Goa, as part of the investigation.

This included raids on five casinos in Goa associated with the MLA, named 'Puppy's Casino Gold', 'Ocean Rivers Casino', among others.

Veerendra is accused of operating several online betting platforms, including King567 and Raja567, while his brother, KC Thippeswamy, is alleged to run businesses in Dubai related to these activities. The case highlights the ongoing focus on the illegal betting industry in India under the Prevention of Money Laundering (PMLA) Act.