Tribal board scam: K'taka govt to file objections to handing over case to CBI

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government counsel on Wednesday informed the High Court that objections would be filed in a week’s time in connection with the petition seeking the handing over of the case related to the alleged tribal welfare board scam to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Union Bank of India had earlier approached the Karnataka High Court in connection with the Valmiki multi-crore tribal welfare board scam. The bank submitted a writ petition and argued in the court that the case should be handed over to the CBI.

The government counsel stated that it is in the purview of the state government to have the police investigate. “We will submit objections to the petition by the bank in a week. The SIT has not included the names of the bank officials in the charge sheet,” the counsel informed the court.

Attorney General of India R. Venkataramani appearing for the bank in his personal capacity maintained that the court has to give directions to the government for the case to be handed over to the CBI. The cases involving more than Rs 50 crore will have to be probed by the CBI which has the authority to probe scams involving the banks. The CBI could investigate the bank officers and other concerned persons.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) can’t investigate the matter which falls in the jurisdiction of the CBI, argued the Attorney General.

After hearing the arguments and counter arguments, the bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna had adjourned the matter to September 4.

The scam had come to light following the suicide of an officer attached to the tribal welfare board. The case is being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the CBI. The state government had stated that it won’t hand over the complete investigation to the CBI but if the CBI takes over the case by itself it won’t object. The ED has arrested former minister B. Nagendra in connection with the case and he is presently in jail.

The SIT had submitted a charge sheet to the court., Eight cases have been registered and 12 persons have been arrested by the SIT while former minister Nagendra was arrested by the ED.

The SIT had recovered Rs 16.83 crore cash and 16.25 kilos of gold. It has also seized a Lamborghini Urus car and a Mercedes Benz worth Rs 4.51 crore. Rs 13.72 crore in bank deposits has been frozen. Totally, Rs 49.96 crore has been seized in the case.

The investigation officer has filed a preliminary charge sheet running into seven volumes and 3,072 pages before the court. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah admitted the scam on the floor of the House and said that about Rs 89 crore were misused. The BJP is claiming that it is a scam involving Rs 187 crore and since CM Siddaramaiah holds the finance portfolio he should resign.

The BJP is alleging that Rs 187 crore has been transferred from the board’s account to fake bank accounts in Telangana and other states to fund elections.