ED tried to destabilise Congress government in Karnataka through me: B Nagendra after release on bail

Pramesh S Jain & Binish Thomas (Sub-Editor)

Three months after being arrested by Directorate of enforcement,Congress MLA B Nagendra on Wednesday released from the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru after he was granted bail in connection with the alleged multi-crore scam in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd (KMVSTDCL).

Nagendra was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in July,was granted bail by the special court for cases involving elected representatives in Bengaluru on Monday.

Speaking to reporters following his release, Nagendra said that he was harassed by the ED for three months.

“Even though I have no role in this scam, I was arrested and with pressure from the BJP’s central leaders,the ED, through me,tried to destabilise the government in Karnataka”,he said soon after the released.

The BJP is conspiring to destabilise non BJP state government by any means.”

ED on September 9 filed the chargesheet,or the prosecution complaint in money laundering cases, terming Nagendra the “Mastermind” in the scam.

The ED had claimed that Rs.20.19 crore of the funds misappropriated from KMVSTDCL was diverted to Ballari during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in May.

ED investigation revealed that under the influence of Nagendra,the account of the corporation was moved to the MG Road Branch without any proper authorisation, where Rs.187 crore, including Rs.43.33 crore from the State treasury under the Ganga Kalyana Scheme,were deposited without following proper procedures and in violation of government guidelines,”the ED investigation claimed.