NEW DELHI: Amid political slugfest over the Rs 90 crore allegedly siphoned off from Karnataka ST welfare funds, ED on Wednesday said part of the swindled funds were used to procure liquor, luxury cars and for ‘other’ uses by B Nagendra, until recently minister for tribal welfare in the Siddaramaiah govt, and his associates during the recently concluded Parliamentary elections.
The agency said “during search operations at premises of Nagendra and chairman of Valmiki ST Development Corporation, Basanagouda Daddal, ED recovered incriminating documents linking them to the handling of diverted funds during recent general elections. People who are closely connected to B Nagendra were implicated in fund diversion and cash management.”
Nagendra was arrested on July 12 and was remanded in ED custody until Thursday. Siddaramaiah on Thursday rubbished allegations of any irregularities or corruption in ST welfare funds. However, ED claimed Rs 90 crore of Valmiki ST Development Corporation funds were diverted using 18 shell companies in Andhra and Telengana.
Congress in Karnataka, however, blamed BJP of misusing central agencies to topple state govt. State party functionaries said the central agency is “exerting pressure” on those arrested to name senior Congress members in Valmiki ‘scam’.
The agency said “during search operations at premises of Nagendra and chairman of Valmiki ST Development Corporation, Basanagouda Daddal, ED recovered incriminating documents linking them to the handling of diverted funds during recent general elections. People who are closely connected to B Nagendra were implicated in fund diversion and cash management.”
Nagendra was arrested on July 12 and was remanded in ED custody until Thursday. Siddaramaiah on Thursday rubbished allegations of any irregularities or corruption in ST welfare funds. However, ED claimed Rs 90 crore of Valmiki ST Development Corporation funds were diverted using 18 shell companies in Andhra and Telengana.
Congress in Karnataka, however, blamed BJP of misusing central agencies to topple state govt. State party functionaries said the central agency is “exerting pressure” on those arrested to name senior Congress members in Valmiki ‘scam’.