Bengaluru: Workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party held massive protest in Karnataka on Thursday, May 30, against the state government alleging corruption in the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. The BJP workers demanded resignation of Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B. Nagendra after an officer of Maharishi Valmiki Development Corporation Chandrasekaran revealed multi-crore scam going on in the department. The BJP workers were later detained by the state police.

The BJP has alleged that the Congress-led Karnataka government has been trying to cover-up the corruption scam. "They (state government) are trying to hide the issue. The funds for the development of SC, ST and OBC were transferred to fake accounts. Karnataka Minister Nagendra is behind all that. We will protest and demand his resignation. The matter should be investigated under the judiciary leadership..." said  BJP leader CT Ravi. Karnataka BJP President BY Vijayendra visited the residence of P Chandrashekaran and met his family in Shivamogga.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that a CID probe is on and the truth will be known from the probe. "An investigation has been ordered, and everything will be known after the investigation. The money was transferred from one account to another and then to another four or five accounts. Nothing can be said until the investigation. Everything will be known in the investigation," said the Karnataka Minister.

Chandrasekaran Flags Multi-Crore Scam

Chandrasekaran (45), a resident of the Kenchappa colony of Vinobanagar, was an officer of Maharishi Valmiki Development Corporation. He was working in the Bengaluru office as accounts superintendent. He died by suicide on Sunday evening. In his suicide note, he mentioned names of three officials of the corporation and revealed the secret of multi-crore corruption.

"My death was caused by the corporation officials. The Managing Director of the Corporation, JG Padmanabha, Account Manager Parasuram Durgannavar, Union Bank Chief Manager Suchismitha. Valmiki has illegally looted Rs 80 to 85 crores from the corporation's grant. I have no part in this affair. But under the pressure of work, it was my mistake not to get the cheque book of the said account and not to close the cash book. I am not responsible for this scam. So take action against the guilty officials", Chandrasekaran wrote in his death note.

2 Employees Suspended

The State government on Wednesday suspended the Managing Director and an official of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd over allegations of an illegal money transfer. The unauthorised transfer of Rs 88.62 crore from the corporation’s bank account came to light after an Accounts Superintendent of the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd, Chandrashekhar, died by suicide on Sunday evening, leaving behind a note.

He has named the corporation's Managing Director J G Padmanabh, Accounts Officer Parashuram G Durugannavar and Union Bank of India Chief Manager Suchismita Rawal in the note, while also stating that minister in charge had issued oral orders for transferring the funds. Padmanabh and Durgannanavar have been suspended as they allegedly overlooked the creation of a new bank account that facilitated unauthorised transfer of funds.