BALLARI: Enforcement Directorate officials searched eight locations, including the houses of Ballari MP E Tukaram and four MLAs, in the alleged Valmiki scam-linked money laundering case, sources said. The MLAs whose houses were raided were Nara Bharath Reddy (Ballari city), J N Ganesh (Kampli), N T Srinivas (Kudligi) and B Nagendra (Ballari rural).Sources said ED officials were gathering evidence on the allegation that funds siphoned off from the accounts of Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation were used to distribute cash to voters and Congress workers of Ballari seat during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge termed the searches a “conspiracy” to divide the party in Karnataka. “I don’t know the details. I just saw it on TV. Naturally, if ED has done it, they have been angry with the Congress party since the beginning,” he said.Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah said his govt would not support any violation of the law, nor would it come in the way of implementation of law. “What should I do? ED has conducted raids. Let them do whatever they want in accordance with the law. We will not support any violation of law. We will not come in the way of the implementation of the law. We won’t obstruct it,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.Deputy CM D K Shivakumar said, “There is no link between our MLAs and the Valmiki Corporation scam. Our leaders did not distribute money in any election. Almost 90% of the money misused by officials in the scam was recovered.”