Minister Nagendra resigns after name crops up Valmiki Corporation scam

BENGALURU: In a dramatic turn of events, Scheduled Tribe Welfare Minister B Nagendra on Thursday resigned from the post after his name cropped up in an alleged financial scam in the Maharshi Valmiki Schedule Tribe Development Corporation.

Nagendra on his way to the CM’s home office to submit his resignation.

Nagendra’s resignation follows directives from Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to step down by Thursday afternoon to avoid any embarrassment to the Congress party and the government.

Deputy CM DK Shivakumar said there was no need for Nagendra to resign as minister as he was not involved in the scam, but he was doing to voluntarily so that the image of the party and the government is not dented.

Chandrasekaran had left behind a six-page death note alleging corruption by senior officers.

The issue became a political hot potato after a superintendent of the corporation, Chandrasekaran, committed suicide at his Shivamogga residence. In a suicide note, he had alleged multi-crore corruption in the corporation and mentioned the names of its MD J J Padmanabh and other officials.

Earlier this month, the Siddaramaiah government had set up a special investigation team to probe the allegations. The SIT had Padmanabha and accountant Parashuram last Friday.

The Union Bank of Inia suspended three of its employees linked to the case of misappropriation in the accounts of Maharshi Valmiki Schedule Tribe Development Corporation Ltd. The bank also filed a complaint with the CBI on May 30 for investigation and identification of the culprits.