Bengaluru: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed an FIR in connection with a tribal welfare employee’s suicide amid allegations of misappropriation of Rs 187 crore in funds on the oral instructions of a sitting minister in the Congress government.
The Karnataka Congress government is concerned with the development, as the opposition BJP has already planned a massive agitation to seek the resignation of the Minister for Youth Empowerment, Sports, and Tribal Welfare, B. Nagendra.
The BJP has set a deadline of Thursday (June 6) for the Congress party to take action.
The BJP claims that Rs 187 crore, meant for tribal welfare, was transferred from the government account to individual accounts for use in election expenses of the Congress party in Telangana state and other parts of India.
The BJP has also alleged that it is impossible to transfer such a huge amount without the knowledge of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The CBI filed an FIR following a complaint by the management of the Bengaluru branch of the Union Bank of India. The FIR names five individuals, including three bank staffers. According to the FIR, government officers, people’s representatives, and private persons are involved in the fraud, sources said on Wednesday.
Chandrashekaran P. (52), the Superintendent of Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC), allegedly died by suicide last week after leaving a note purportedly blaming senior officials and a sitting minister for coercing him to facilitate the misappropriation of funds.
Chandrashekaran also claimed that he was tortured and humiliated for questioning the illegal transactions. His family claimed that he was under tremendous pressure following the transfer of money without his knowledge.
According to sources, facing backlash over the government employee’s suicide, Siddaramaiah is considering seeking the minister’s resignation.
The state government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the matter and is waiting for a preliminary report.
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