Enforcement Directorate Raids Former Minister and MLA’s Residences

On Wednesday morning, officials from the Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted raids at the residences of former Scheduled Tribe Welfare minister B Nagendra and Congress MLA Basanagouda Daddal. This action followed their appearance before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating an alleged multi-crore scam at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation.

ED officials, accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force personnel, visited Nagendra’s residence in Sadashivanagar, Bengaluru, and reportedly conducted searches at over five locations across the city, including properties on New BEL Road and Yelahanka. Simultaneously, raids were also carried out at Nagendra’s residence in Ballari, where his personal assistants, Vijaykumar and Chetan, were taken into custody.

In Ballari, the arrival of three ED teams with CRPF security personnel prompted heightened security measures around the MLA’s house by local law enforcement.

The alleged scam came to public attention following the tragic suicide of the corporation’s accounts superintendent, Chandrashekhar, on May 26 in Shivamogga. In his note, Chandrashekhar implicated certain corporation officials and hinted at involvement of a “minister,” prompting the Karnataka government to establish an SIT for investigation. Following public outcry and an additional complaint by Suresh NR, president of the Anti-Corruption Forum, ED involvement was requested.

Former minister Nagendra had resigned from his position in Siddaramaiah’s cabinet amidst the scandal’s escalation in media coverage.