The recent chargesheet by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) has unveiled the misappropriation of Rs 20.19 crore from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd (KMVSTDCL) which was diverted to Ballari during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Former Karnataka ST Welfare Minister B Nagendra has been named as the accused 1 and is currently in judicial custody. The chargesheet lists 25 accused, including high-profile individuals from Hyderabad and Karnataka.
The ED discovered that a significant amount of the diverted funds were used to purchase liquor just before the elections. The central agency also found that around Rs 90 crore was siphoned off to fake accounts in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Nagendra has been directly implicated in the ED chargesheet, whereas the earlier chargesheet by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) did not mention the Congress MLA.
The SIT was formed after the corporation’s accounts superintendent died by suicide, revealing the alleged misappropriation. The ED and CBI are conducting parallel investigations into the matter. This scandal has caused a stir in Karnataka politics and has raised questions about corruption and misuse of public funds.
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