BENGALURU: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) probing the multi-crore tribal welfare development board scam on Tuesday submitted the charge sheet to the Special Court for MLAs/MPs here.
Sources said that jailed former Minister B. Nagendra has been named as the mastermind of the scam by the ED in its charge sheet. This contradicts the charge sheet submitted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Karnataka Police which did not mention Nagendra's name and gave him a clean chit.
Last month the SIT submitted two separate charge sheets regarding the tribal welfare scam and the suicide of the account superintendent Chandrasekaran.
The BJP has alleged that the CID SIT which works under the state government indulged in protecting the former Congress Minister Nagendra and tribal welfare board Chairman and Congress MLA Basanagouda Daddal.
The SIT was also criticised for not issuing summons to Nagendra and Daddal during the investigation.
The ED, which took over the investigation, conducted raids on the residences and offices of Nagendra and arrested him in the case. Presently, Nagendra is lodged in the prison.
Sources stated that as per the ED charge sheet, Nagendra is the key person behind the scam and has close links with the main accused, Satyanarayana Varma, and misused the money.
The complete transactions of money had taken place as per the directions of Nagendra. The charge sheet also revealed a startling fact that Rs 21 crore of misappropriated money was used in the Lok Sabha election. The money had been flown from Bengaluru and Ballary cities to various places.
The charge sheet has named Nagendra and four other accused persons, the sources stated.
The development is likely to stir fresh controversy as the ruling Congress party is likely to raise objections. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar had objected to the intervention of Central agencies in the probe charging that attempts were being made to destabilise the Congress government.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is also looking into the matter.
The alleged irregularities had come to light following the suicide of account superintendent Chandrasekaran. In his death note, Chandrasekaran mentioned the role of a sitting Minister without taking any name.
The SIT was criticised for not bothering to question Nagendra and Daddal. The ED, which entered the scene later, had arrested Nagendra following the raids.
Three investigative agencies are currently probing the case.
The SIT was formed on May 31, and a complaint was filed with the CBI on June 3 by the Union Bank of India. The ED is conducting its own independent investigation.