Cash, valuables worth Rs 79.68 crore recovered: Karnataka govt backs scam-accused Minister Nagendra
Mangalore Today News Network
Bengaluru, Aug 19, 2026: The Congress government on Wednesday defended Planning Minister B Nagendra in the Karnataka Assembly, stressing that no court has convicted the Bellary MLA in connection with the alleged Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki ST Development Corporation scam.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara made the statement amid protests by the Opposition BJP, which has been demanding Nagendra’s resignation.
Nagendra, who was the ST Welfare Minister in 2024, resigned after ₹89.63 crore from the state-run corporation was allegedly embezzled. While the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) gave him a clean chit, the CBI and Enforcement Directorate (ED) have named him in their respective charge sheets.
According to Parameshwara, ₹5 crore was reversed even before the scam came to light. Of the remaining ₹84.63 crore transferred illegally, cash and valuables worth ₹79.68 crore have been recovered, while efforts are on to recover the balance.
Parameshwara said a special court for elected representatives granted Nagendra bail in the ED case in October 2024, while he secured anticipatory bail in the CBI case in January 2026.
He also criticised the functioning of the ED and CBI, citing court observations that the agencies had faced criticism for allegedly acting according to the interests of the party in power.
The Deputy Chief Minister further cited a recent Supreme Court affidavit stating that 4,192 sitting and former elected representatives had pending criminal cases, including 251 Lok Sabha members, 75 Rajya Sabha members and 14 Chief Ministers.
Defending the CID’s investigation, Parameshwara said the agency’s special investigation team had gathered evidence against prime accused Satyanarayana Verma, who, he said, had not been granted bail.
He urged the BJP to withdraw its agitation and allow the Assembly to function normally.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka rejected the government’s defence, saying the allegations against Nagendra remained unresolved.
“This is no washing machine. The taint on Nagendra won’t go. Instead of making this statement, get Nagendra to resign,” Ashoka said.