BENGALURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday admitted that a multi-crore scam occurred at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation (KMVSTDC) and said he has decided to take back all the money granted to all boards and corporations and deposit it at the treasury to avoid any scams in these entities the future.
“From now on, money will be released only after they submit the action plan. Also, funds will go to the concerned drawing officer. This is to bring transparency in financial transactions of all boards and corporations,” he told reporters. “Instructions have already been issued to them to compulsorily deposit funds in their accounts to the state treasury. The Finance Department (FD) has taken measures and issued guidelines to bring in transparency,” he asserted. In the case of ST corporation, he blamed officials at both the corporation and Union Bank of India. “We are not saying that there were no illegalities. But the government is not responsible for the scam,” he clarified. On the investigation, he said, “The government has full confidence in the Special Investigation Team, which has been constituted to probe this case. We are committed to take appropriate action against perpetrators.”
He said that during the ongoing legislature session, opposition members presented their views on the issue for over seven hours under Rule 69. Opposition parties have the right to express their views in the parliamentary system, and the government also has the right to express its position, he said.
He questioned Leader of Opposition in the Assembly R Ashoka as to why he did not question the alleged involvement of Union Bank of India officers, including chief manager Suchismita Rawal, for the illegal transfer of money from the ST corporation.“Opposition parties have taken up a smear campaign against the state government and me,” he alleged.
He asked whether former CMs BS Yediyurappa and Basavaraj Bommai resigned during their tenure when scams in boards and corporations, including misappropriation at the Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal and APMC. “We did not seek Bommai’s resignation then, as he was not concerned with the scam in boards and corporations. ST corporation chairman Basanagouda Daddal is not an executive officer but was only part of the policy-making decisions as a legislator. Managing Director Padmanabha GJ was responsible for the financial transactions,” he said. He questioned as to why the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has taken up the ST Corporation investigation suo motu, while it did not do so when BJP was in power.
“SIT has already arrested 12 people, recovered Rs 34 crore and frozen Rs 46 crore transferred illegally to various bank accounts,” he informed.
CM announces D25 lakh to Chandrashekaran’s widow
The CM announced a compensation of Rs 25 lakh to Kavitha, the widow of deceased P Chandrashekaran— accounts superintendent of ST corporation. “She works as a data entry operator and is facing difficulties with the education of her children,” he said.
ED questions Daddal once again
The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), probing the alleged multi-crore scam in the Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, once again questioned Raichur Rural MLA Basanagouda Daddal, who is also the chairman of the corporation, on Friday. Daddal was issued a notice to appear before the ED for questioning after the Central agency allegedly found a document related to the scam at his residence. Daddal was also quizzed on Thursday. Earlier, the SIT constituted by the State Government also quizzed Daddal. The ED stated that the scam amount was used to buy liquor prior to the Lok Sabha elections and also to buy high-end cars.
BJP resorts to ‘kivi mele hoovu’ protest
BJP MLAs on Friday protested against the State Government in the Assembly over the alleged scam in ST Corporation by singing, clapping and raising slogans to distract the Congress legislators speaking about rain havoc in their constituencies. The BJP MLAs rushed to the well of the House and raised slogans against the government. Chaos prevailed in the House for some time when Congress MLAs too raised slogans against the BJP. In the meantime, some BJP MLAs plucked flowers from pots near the Speaker’s chair and kept them on their ears. They said the Congress government kept flowers on people’s ears (kivi mele hoovu), which means it fooled innocent people. Speaker UT Khader summoned the marshals to shift the pots from near his desk.