Siddaramaiah mulling to seek minister’s resignation?

Bengaluru: Facing backlash from the opposition, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is considering asking Minister B. Nagendra to resign to avoid embarrassment over the suicide case of a tribal welfare board employee, sources said on Friday.

The death of Chandrashekaran P (52), the Superintendent of Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC), who allegedly died by suicide on Sunday after leaving a note purportedly blaming senior officials for coercing him to facilitate misappropriation of funds, has triggered a political row in Karnataka.

The Congress government is reportedly concerned about the possibility of the CBI taking over the case after the Union Bank of India filed a complaint in this regard with the central agency.

Alleging that Rs 187.33 crore was transferred to individual accounts as per Nagendra’s instructions, the BJP has given a deadline of June 6 for his resignation.

Meanwhile, state BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra visited Chandrashekaran’s family members on Friday and accused the Congress government of taking away articles, including a laptop, from the deceased’s residence to wipe out evidence.

Minister for Youth Empowerment, Sports, and Tribal Welfare, B. Nagendra, met CM Siddaramaiah in New Delhi on Friday and clarified that he has no role in the case.

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.

CM Siddaramaiah is likely to ask Nagendra to resign soon after receiving the report, sources said.

The Chief Minister and others are reportedly concerned about the developments surrounding the case, as the BJP is projecting the Congress government as anti-Dalit, accusing it of misappropriating funds reserved for tribal welfare to fund the general elections in a neighbouring state, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the management of the Union Bank of India filed a complaint with the CBI on Friday in connection with fraudulent transactions, after placing three branch officials under suspension pending inquiry.

However, Home Minister G. Parameshwara said on Friday that the state government will not transfer the case to the CBI.

“The probe by the CID will reveal the facts. But we will not hand over the case to the CBI ourselves,” he said.

Chandrashekaran allegedly committed suicide after writing a six-page note in which he mentioned corruption in the corporation and a minister’s involvement in it.

Acting on a complaint by Chandrashekaran’s wife, a case has been lodged against KMVSTDC Managing Director J.G. Pabmanabh, accountant Parashurama Durgannanavar, and Union Bank Manager Suchismitha Ravul, sources said.

In the purported death note, which came to light on Monday, the deceased alleged the role of a minister in illegally transferring Rs 85 crore. He also claimed that Rs 183.53 crore in grants was transferred to different accounts.

Chandrashekaran also claimed that he was tortured and humiliated for questioning the illegal transactions. The family claimed that Chandrashekaran was under tremendous pressure following the transfer of money without his knowledge.