The Enforcement Directorate on Monday recorded the statement of former Karnataka minister and Congress MLA B Nagendra in a money laundering case linked to the alleged misappropriation of funds from the Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation, officials said.
The 54-year-old Bellary Rural MLA appeared before the agency and his statement was recorded under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), they said.
Nagendra had earlier been questioned and arrested by the ED in July 2024 in connection with the case. The agency subsequently filed a chargesheet, and he was later granted bail.
Officials said the latest questioning is linked to alleged irregularities in the Valmiki Corporation and the findings detailed in a chargesheet filed by the CBI in June.
Nagendra resigned from the Karnataka Cabinet for the second time in late August amid opposition pressure over his alleged involvement in the Rs 89-crore Valmiki Corporation scam. He had first stepped down from the Cabinet in 2024 after the case came to light.
After his latest resignation, Nagendra accused the BJP of "spreading lies" about the alleged scam and said he stepped down to protect the Congress government and the party from embarrassment.
The case surfaced in May 2024 after corporation accounts officer Chandrasekharan P died by suicide, leaving behind a note alleging unauthorised transfers of funds.
Subsequent investigations alleged that large sums were diverted from the corporation's bank accounts to various accounts, triggering a political controversy and demands for Nagendra's resignation.
(With inputs from PTI)