BENGALURU: Congress MLA and former minister B. Nagendra on Wednesday was released from Parappana Agrahara Prison in Bengaluru city after he was granted bail by the Special Court for MPs/MLAs. Nagendra was arrested by sleuths of Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charge of his alleged involvement in fraudulent bank transactions in the accounts of Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation, a State Government undertaking. ED arrested Nagendra in July.
A couple of days back, ED based on its investigation filed a prosecution complaint against B. Nagendra in the Special Court for MPs/MLAs and accused him of being the mastermind in the fraudulent bank transactions.
The bank fraud is also being investigated by the Special Investigation Team constituted by the State Government and on a complaint from Union Bank of India, sleuths of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
After the fraudulent bank transactions came out, Nagendra tendered resignation as Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare in June and Valmiki Corporation functioned under his Ministry. It is alleged about Rs 89.62 crore from the bank accounts of Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation were allegedly transferred to multiple accounts across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
After walking out of Prison, B. Nagendra told reporters “It is a bank (Union Bank of India) scam rather than that of the State Government.”
Adding, Nagendra accused ED of acting under pressure exerted by Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders and arrested him and even tried to frame Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
Adding, the Congress MLA said “I repeatedly said I have no role in the fraudulent bank transactions but (arrest was made) in an attempt to destabilise the State Government.”
He denied making any written orders for money transfer from the bank accounts of Maharishi Valmiki ST Development Corporation and accused the Bank officials of transferring money without verification of Know Your Customer (KYC).
Nagendra asserted the fight against BJP will continue and the rout of BJP will start from Karnataka from ensuing by-polls to Sandur, Channapatna and Shiggaon assembly seats. He exuded confidence in the Congress party winning the Sandur by-poll in Ballari.
