Bengaluru, June 6 (IANS): Karnataka Minister for Youth Empowerment, Sports and Tribal Welfare, B Nagendra, who is at the centre of a controversy surrounding a Tribal Board staffer’s suicide, has announced that he will submit his resignation to the Chief Minister on Thursday evening.
Minister Nagendra is also facing accusations of being instrumental in transferring Rs 187 crore from the Tribal Welfare Board’s account to fake accounts at a bank in Telangana for campaigning.
Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Nagendra stated, “I am innocent. I am submitting my resignation of my own will, not due to pressure. The media has been reporting on the issue, and allegations have been made against me for 10 days. The people are concerned.”
“The Opposition has also been making allegations for the last 10 days. I am tendering my resignation on my own. I am meeting the Chief Minister at 7.30 P.M. and submitting my resignation,” he stated.
“I will hand over the resignation letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. I will also submit the letter to Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. I am resigning so as not to cause embarrassment to anyone. My name is not mentioned anywhere in the case. I am resigning because of my conscience,” he reiterated.
Nagendra said he was quitting so that the investigation could be conducted impartially.
“If I continue in the post of minister, it will hamper the investigation. Once I am proven innocent, the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister will give me an opportunity again,” he stated.
“The case has not come to my knowledge. The investigation is going to be impartial, and no matter how powerful the accused are, they will be punished,” he maintained.
The major scam in the corporation came to light following the suicide of Chandrashekaran (50), who was working as an Account Superintendent in the Tribal Welfare Board.
He was allegedly pressured to move large sums of money to various illegal accounts.
In his suicide note, he detailed how he was under pressure by a sitting Cabinet minister of the department.
The Karnataka BJP had organised a protest march on Thursday demanding the sacking of Minister Nagendra and submitted a memorandum to the Governor, levelling money-laundering charges against the state government.
The BJP claimed that a transaction of such a huge amount was not possible without the knowledge of the Chief Minister.