Valmiki Corp scam: Ex-Karnataka minister Nagendra sent to judicial custody

A special court trying cases booked against public representatives on Monday remanded Congress MLA and former Karnataka Tribal Affairs Minister B Nagendra to two weeks in judicial custody in connection with a case of illegal transfer of funds of the Maharshi Valmiki ST Corporation. The corporation is in charge of implementing welfare programmes for Scheduled Tribe members.

Judge Gajajanana Bhat passed an order after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths produced him in the court.

The ED officials arrested Nagendra, who is also the Congress MLA from Ballari Rural, on June 12 after raiding his home, and other places.


The Judge also accepted a request from the ED seeking custody of the Hyderabad-based Sathyanarayana Varma, an alleged beneficiary who is in judicial custody. The Judge ordered the authorities to produce Verma before the court on Tuesday.

The ED officials had, early this month, conducted search operations in Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over an alleged scandal involving illegal transfer of Rs 89.63 crore of government funds to unknown people in Hyderabad. The unearthing of the case led to his resignation as state’s tribal welfare and sports minister.