Tribal welfare case: Full amount misappropriated is being recovered, says Siddaramaiah 

Bengaluru, Oct 15 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Tuesday that the full amount misappropriated in the Tribal Welfare Board scam is being recovered.

Speaking to the media at Vidhana Soudha in Bengaluru on Tuesday, Siddaramaiah said that the tribal welfare scam case is in court and the government will take further action based on the upcoming judgment.

The Chief Minister assured that the entire allocated budget for the Valmiki Development Corporation will be provided this year. 

He highlighted that there had been misappropriation amounting to approximately Rs 89.63 crore, out of which Rs 5 crore has already been recovered. Of the remaining Rs 84.63 crore, Rs 71.54 crore has been recovered so far. 

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has assured the recovery of the remaining Rs 13 crore, Siddaramaiah stated.

Instructions have been given to the Secretaries of the Department of Social Welfare and the Department of Law to resolve the confusion surrounding caste certificates and to issue appropriate circulars, he stated.

Siddaramaiah mentioned that a meeting with Scheduled Tribes communities was held, during which the focus was brought to the attention of issues concerning some individuals obtaining fake caste certificates, in addition to the mismanagement in the Valmiki Development Corporation. 

He stressed that there should not be any shortage of funds for the corporation.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that the Congress party is fully prepared to face the upcoming by-elections in the state. All preparations have been made, and the party is ready to contest the elections effectively, he said.

The Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru granted conditional bail to former Minister B. Nagendra on Monday in the Tribal Welfare Board case.

The ED arrested Nagendra on July 12 in connection with the case after questioning him. Following allegations against him, Nagendra, who was Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister, tendered his resignation on June 6.

The BJP has alleged Siddaramaiah’s role in the scam since he had agreed to the misappropriation of Rs 89.6 crore from the government body. The BJP is claiming that it is a scam involving Rs 187 crore and as Siddaramaiah holds the finance portfolio, his involvement is evident.

The ED has named B. Nagendra, Congress MLA and former Minister for Scheduled Tribal Affairs as the primary accused and mastermind in the alleged scam in the Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki ST Development Corporation.

The Enforcement Directorate has filed a Prosecution Complaint (PC) or charge sheet before the Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru in connection with the scam. The court has taken cognizance of the PC, the central agency had stated

The SIT investigating the scam has given a clean chit to former Minister Nagendra in the case.