Valmiki Corporation scam: BJP demands Karnataka CM’s resignation

PTI, Jul 20, 2024, 6:44 PM IST

B Y Vijayendra (Credit: PTI)

Ballari: BJP Karnataka unit president B Y Vijayendra on Saturday demanded the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the alleged Rs 187 crore scam in a government-owned corporation.

He said scams can take place only if there is an incompetent Chief Minister or if there was his verbal consent.

Referring to the embezzlement of Rs 187 crore in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, Vijayendra said not only the scamsters enjoyed the hard earned money of the taxpayers and they also splurged it during the Lok Sabha election in Ballari.

When the ED said that the money was used in other states as well, should the officials alone be held accountable for that, he wondered.

“You should resign in connection with this scam as you hold the Finance portfolio. It is unlikely that the Finance Department did not know about the transfer of money from its accounts to various accounts of the individuals,” Vijayendra told reporters here.

He said, “You (Siddaramaiah) said that you will investigate the scams of the BJP government. Who is stopping you? But, you should answer our questions first.” The scam came to light after the Accounts Superintendent of the Corporation Chandrasekharan P took his own life on May 26.

In the suicide note, Chandrasekharan alleged that there was an illegal transfer of Rs 187 crore belonging to the Corporation to various accounts.

The Congress government thereafter constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which has so far arrested 11 people in connection with the case.

The CBI is also probing the case after the Union Bank of India lodged a complaint with it regarding the illegal transfer of money.

Nagendra, who resigned after the scam came to light, is presently in the Enforcement Directorate custody.