NEW DELHI: Karnataka minister B Nagendra introduced his resolution to resign from the state cupboard on Friday, simply 25 days after assuming workplace, amid mounting stress over his alleged involvement within the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Improvement Company monetary irregularities. Addressing a press convention, teary-eyed Nagendra stated that he was harmless and had been unfairly focused by the opposition.“I’m resigning of my very own will to keep away from the embarrassment which will value my get together due to pointless allegations made by the opposition get together in opposition to me,” Nagendra stated.“Manuwadis (apparently referring to the BJP) focused me as they did not desire a tribal individual within the nation to develop,” he added.This comes after Bharatiya Janata Social gathering and JD(S) had been demanding Nagendra’s resignation over the alleged rip-off and had deliberate a foot march from Raichur to Ballari from September 1 to 10.The opposition had additionally staged repeated protests inside and outdoors the Karnataka Vidhan Saudha through the monsoon session, which was curtailed by three days and adjourned sine die on August 24 amid the continued uproar.Second resignation in over two yearsThat is Nagendra’s second resignation from the cupboard over the identical allegations. Earlier, in June 2024, Nagendra had resigned from the tribal welfare division in Siddaramaiah’s cupboard after the controversy had surfaced.He was, nonetheless, re-inducted into DK Shivakumar’s cupboard on August 3, 2026, with the planning and statistics portfolio, prompting the opposition to revive its demand for his removing.What’s Valmiki rip-off?The Valmiki rip-off refers back to the alleged unlawful switch of funds from the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Improvement Company Ltd, a state-run physique underneath the executive management of the minister’s division.The alleged irregularities got here to mild following the suicide of accounts superintendent Chandrashekhar P on Might 26, 2025. In his demise word, Chandrashekhar alleged that Rs 187 crore belonging to the company had been unauthorisedly transferred from its checking account.
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Of this quantity, Rs 88.62 crore was allegedly moved to numerous accounts, together with these linked to outstanding IT firms and a Hyderabad-based cooperative financial institution.The matter gained additional momentum after Union Financial institution of India filed a grievance with the CBI, which subsequently registered an FIR and started investigating the alleged monetary irregularities.Following the event, then chief minister Siddaramaiah after which state Congress president DKS reportedly met and sought the resignation of Nagendra, promising reinstatement if he was discovered not responsible.The state authorities additionally constituted a Particular Investigation Group (SIT), headed by Manish Kharbikar, extra director normal of police, financial offences, on the Felony Investigation Division (CID), to conduct a parallel probe.
