Karnataka BJP demands CBI probe into Tribal Corporation scam

Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP on Saturday demanded a CBI probe into the misappropriation of crores of Rs of Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation.

In a social media post, BJP Karnataka said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and other party leaders are involved in the scam.

"It is impossible for the SIT, formed under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to investigate a matter involving the Chief Minister, Ministers, and MLAs of the Congress government. In this context, CM Siddaramaiah should resign and hand over the case to the CBI for investigation," the BJP said.

"The eighth accused in the case has maintained that the investigation is not progressing in the right direction. The accused claimed in the petition to the court that the SIT, which is probing the matter, has seized her conversation with the board Chairman, Congress MLA Basavaraj Daddal. The accused fears that there is a chance of evidence destruction and pleaded with the court to obtain a copy of it," the BJP said.

"The accused also appealed to the court, indicating the possibility of destroying footage recorded at the office of Minister for Medical Education Sharan Prakash Patil and at the premises of the Union Bank of India, which should be considered as evidence," the BJP added.

The eighth accused claimed in the petition that he was implicated to shield the real culprits and to falsely project the real culprits as innocent, the BJP said.

The scam in the corporation came to light following the suicide of Chandrashekaran (50), who was working as an Account Superintendent in the Tribal Welfare Board. He was allegedly pressured to move large sums of money to various illegal accounts.

It was alleged that the funds were diverted to Hyderabad to be used by the Congress for the Lok Sabha election in Telangana and other states, which was denied by the grand old party.