Valmiki Group illegal money transfer case: BJP rejects SIT probe, demands CBI inquiry

The BJP in Karnataka has rejected the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into the illegal remittance case involving the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd. and demanded that the case be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The party also demanded the immediate dismissal of Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B. Nagendra following allegations made against him in connection with the case.

The state government on Friday constituted a four-member SIT team led by Manish Kharbikar, deputy director general of police (economic offences) at the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Bengaluru, to conduct the investigation.

“I strongly demand a CBI inquiry and oppose an SIT inquiry in the interest of transparency to ensure that the real culprits are punished as per law. We also demand immediate removal of accused minister B. Nagendra from the cabinet,” state BJP chief BY Vijayendra said in a post on X.

The illegal money transfer came to light after the company’s accountant, Chandrashekhar P., committed suicide on May 26 and left behind a death note.

The unauthorised transfer of Rs 187 crore from the group’s bank account came to light. Of this, Rs 88.62 crore was illegally transferred to various accounts allegedly belonging to “well-known” IT companies and a Hyderabad-based cooperative bank.

In the statement, the official had named the company’s now-suspended managing director, JG Padmanabh, accountant Parashuram G. Durugannavar and Union Bank of India’s chief manager Suchismita Rawal, while also stating that the “minister” had given verbal instructions to transfer the funds.

Referring to the Congress government, Mr. Vijayendra asked, “Can the Siddaramaiah government calculate and explain the percentage of corruption at play in this government? Rs 87 crore out of the sanctioned Rs 187 crore – a perfect 50%? The massive corruption exposed by the late Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation employee is just the tip of the iceberg,” he said.

“The embezzlement of state funds points to a larger conspiracy by the Karnataka Congress government involving ministers and substantiates our claim that the Congress party is treating Karnataka like an ATM to fund its bosses in Delhi!”