Ballari Rural MLA B. Nagendra, who resigned as Minister of Youth Empowerment, Sports, and Tribal Welfare in Karnataka following allegations of irregularities in the State-run Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, has been arrested by the ED.
| Photo Credit: SUDHAKARA JAIN
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) detained former minister B. Nagendra, the Congress MLA from Ballari Rural constituency, on July 12 morning. The arrest is in connection with its probe into the alleged scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation where funds up to ₹88 crore were allegedly embezzled,
Following raids at multiple premises linked to him from July 10-12, Mr. Nagendra was taken to the ED office in Shantinagar in Bengaluru on July 12 morning. He is expected to be arrested later in the day.
“I have no knowledge of any irregularities at the corporation. I am innocent and am being framed in a political conspiracy,” the Congress MLA told mediapersons while being taken into the ED office.
The residence of Congress MLA B. Nagendra in Bengaluru was among the premises searched by the ED in the connection with the alleged scam, on July 10, 2024.
| Photo Credit:
SUDHAKARA JAIN
The alleged scam came to light when N. Chandrashekharan, an employee of the corporation, ended his life over the embezzlement of funds. He blamed the “minister” for the same in a note, on May 26.
Mr. Nagendra, who oversaw the corporation as minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare in the government of Karnataka, resigned on June 6.
Three agencies — the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the State Government, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED — are probing the allegations.
The SIT has arrested 11 persons and seized ₹14.5 crore of the allegedly embezzled money. On July 9, the SIT had questioned Mr. Nagendra and the Corporation’s Chairman Basanagouda Daddal, Congress MLA from Raichur Rural constituency, a day before the ED raid.