Government has confidence in SIT Investigation : CM

Bengaluru, July 20: The SIT is already conducting an investigation into the financial irregularities at the Valmiki Corporation, and the government has complete confidence in this investigation, said Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. He stated that the opposition is attempting to tarnish the image of the state government and himself.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday, he mentioned that the investigation began on the same day the wife of Chandrashekhar, the accounts superintendent of the Valmiki Development Corporation, who committed suicide, filed a complaint. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed on May 31 to investigate the case, comprising four IPS officers.

Based on a complaint from Mahesh, an officer of Union Bank of India, a CBI investigation is also underway, and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is conducting an investigation on its own initiative. The SIT has already arrested 12 people in connection with the case and seized cash worth ₹34 crores. Additionally, around ₹46 crores transferred to various bank accounts have been frozen.

“We are not saying that there were no irregularities in the case. The government is committed to taking appropriate action against those who have committed wrongdoing,” Siddaramaiah said. He also pointed out that during the legislative session, opposition party members expressed their views on the matter for over seven hours under Rule 69. Just as opposition parties have the opportunity to express their opinions in a parliamentary system, the government also has the right to state its position.

An amount of ₹89.63 crores from the Valmiki Development Corporation was transferred to the MG Road account of Union Bank of India and then to various accounts. Union Bank of India is a nationalized bank under the jurisdiction of the Central Finance Department. The suicide note mentioned the involvement of bank officials. The Minister of Scheduled tribe Welfare, Nagendra, voluntarily resigned from his position.

Siddaramaiah questioned why BJP leaders did not resign during the Bhoomi Development Corporation scam or the ₹47.10 crore irregularity in the Devaraj Urs Truck Terminal scandal during the BJP regime. He also questioned why the ED did not take up those cases on its own initiative.

He said that instructions have already been issued to mandatorily deposit the funds of all development corporations into the state treasury and that several guidelines have been implemented by the Finance Department to ensure transparency in financial management.

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