Former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA B. Nagendra, who was recently released on bail, has leveled serious allegations against the Enforcement Directorate (ED), claiming that the agency pressured him to frame Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar in a multi-crore scam linked to the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.
Speaking to reporters after his release from jail, Nagendra accused the ED of operating under the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) as part of a calculated conspiracy to destabilize the Congress-led government in Karnataka. “For three months, I was harassed by the ED with the intention to destabilize our government,” he stated, insisting he had no involvement in the alleged scam.
The former minister asserted that he was specifically urged to name Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar in relation to the scam but refused to do so. “I rejected it, saying that when I have no role, where is their role?” he emphasized, denying any connection between the government and the alleged misappropriation of funds.
Nagendra, who resigned from his position as Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister in June amid these allegations, contended that the scam pertains to the misappropriation of funds by bank officials, not the state government. “This is not a state government scam; it is a bank scam. Neither the chief minister nor I, as the concerned minister, was aware of it,” he added, asserting that the ED’s attempts to link the CM’s name to the incident were unfounded.
ED’s Allegations
In contrast, the ED has identified Nagendra as a principal accused in the scam, alleging that ₹187 crore, including ₹43.33 crore from the State Treasury under the ‘Ganga Kalyana Scheme,’ was improperly transferred to a bank without authorization. The agency claims that these funds were siphoned off through shell accounts, with some allegedly used for personal expenses and to finance a political candidate in the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
The ongoing saga highlights the growing tensions between the ruling Congress party and the BJP, as accusations of political maneuvering and conspiracy continue to unfold in Karnataka’s political landscape. As the situation develops, it remains to be seen how both parties will navigate these serious allegations and the implications for governance in the state.
Sources By Agencies
