Illegal money transfer case: Sack Minister Nagendra, handover probe to CBI, says Karnataka BJP chief

Shivamogga/Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP president B Y Vijayendra on Thursday demanded the sacking of Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra and asked the state government to hand over the case of an alleged illegal money transfer from a Corporation bank to the CBI for a probe.

The unauthorised transfer of Rs 88.62 crore from the Corporation’s bank account came to light after accounts superintendent at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, Chandrashekhar P, died by suicide on Sunday evening, leaving behind a death note.

He has named Corporation's managing director J G Padmanabh, accounts officer Parashuram G Durugannavar and Union Bank of India chief manager Suchismita Rawal in the note, while also stating that the minister in charge had issued oral orders for transferring the funds.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the deceased officer's house in Shivamogga, Vijayendra said that suspending two or three officials in connection with the case was not enough and the minister's resignation was needed without any delay.

Demanding that the case be investigated by the CBI, he gave a deadline of one week's time to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the state government and warned state wide agitation if the demand was not met.

"It is impossible for CID or local authorities to investigate the case impartially. Officials have taken the pen drive and laptop from the house of the deceased," he said.

Vijayendra further alleged that during the Lok Sabha elections, hundreds of crores were transferred to Telangana through a 'fake' bank account and said there is a 'big conspiracy' behind this.

The deceased's wife is working on a contract basis and has two sons. It is difficult for her to manage the family, he said, and urged the state government to announce a compensation of at least Rs 25 lakh to the family.

BJP's ST Morcha on Thursday tried to lay siege to the CM's residence in Bengaluru demanding the resignation of Nagendra. The protesters were stopped and later detained by the police.

Noting that in the death note, officer Chandrasekhar, mentioned the phone calls and pressure from the office of the concerned minister, Vijayendra alleged, "There is no possibility that the officials have transferred such a large amount (to a account) in Telangana without the permission of Minister Nagendra."

On Wednesday, the state government suspended the managing director and an official of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd over allegations of an illegal money transfer.

Two FIRs have been registered following Chandrashekar’s suicide. The first was against the three people named in his note, and the second was registered against six bank officials for the alleged fraud.