Bengaluru, Aug 10 (IANS) Senior BJP MLA and former minister V. Sunil Kumar on Monday accused the Congress high command of rewarding former minister B. Nagendra with a Cabinet berth despite the CBI allegedly identifying him as a key figure in the alleged irregularities and criminal conspiracy in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.
Notably, the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has given a clean chit to Nagendra in the case and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is still investigating it.
Referring to the CBI chargesheets filed in the case, Sunil Kumar alleged that the investigating agency had clearly identified Nagendra as having played a “major and primary role” in the alleged scam.
“Look here! The CBI has clearly mentioned in its chargesheet that former minister B. Nagendra played a major and primary role in the irregularities and criminal conspiracy in the Valmiki Development Corporation,” Sunil Kumar alleged.
He claimed that the CBI had filed three separate chargesheets after completing its investigation and had identified Nagendra as the alleged mastermind behind the scam.
Sunil Kumar also referred to a CBI statement issued on June 2, 2026, regarding the chargesheet filed against Nagendra.
Despite the allegations and the CBI investigation, the Congress high command inducted Nagendra into the state Cabinet within a month, Sunil Kumar alleged.
“What does this mean? Is Nagendra the Congress high command’s ‘payment quota’?” Sunil Kumar asked, launching a sharp attack on the ruling Congress.
He further questioned who had benefited from the Cabinet allocation, using a sarcastic reference to the Cabinet’s “full meals” quota.
“Who ate the ‘full meals’ under the Karnataka Cabinet quota?” he asked.
Sunil Kumar’s remarks come amid the political controversy surrounding Nagendra’s return to the Karnataka Cabinet despite the allegations linked to the Valmiki Corporation scam.
The BJP has been strongly opposing Nagendra’s induction into the Cabinet and has questioned the Congress government’s decision to appoint him as a minister while the investigation into the alleged financial irregularities continues.
Meanwhile, Minister for Home, IT and BT Priyank Kharge, speaking to the media in Kalaburagi city, defended the induction of B. Nagendra into the Cabinet and questioned the BJP’s decision to describe him as a “tainted” leader.
“Where does it say that he is tainted? According to the BJP, I am also a tainted leader. Since the BJP does not have any other issue, they want to disrupt the proceedings,” Kharge said.
He accused the BJP of protesting on the streets over the release of drought relief funds while the Centre was responsible for releasing the funds.
“They are also protesting on the streets over the release of drought relief funds. It is the Centre that has to release the funds. They fear that we will question them about this in the House, so they are talking about disrupting the proceedings,” he said.
Kharge questioned in which court Nagendra had been found guilty.
“In which court has Minister Nagendra been declared guilty? If that is the case, why has the BJP given tickets to so many tainted leaders? Charges have been proved against Janardhana Reddy. You also know who is facing POCSO charges,” he said, apparently referring to former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa.
Kharge further said Nagendra had resigned only to prevent embarrassment to the government and had not admitted to the allegations against him.
“Nagendra resigned only because he did not want the government to be embarrassed. He did not resign by accepting the charges. Whatever the case may be, the CID has given him a clean chit,” Kharge said.
–IANS
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