A special court on Monday remanded former minister B Nagendra to judicial custody until August 3 concerning the multi-crore scam at the Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation.
Nagendra, the Ballari MLA, appeared before the court after his extended custody with the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) ended on July 22. The special court for sitting and former MPs/MLAs placed him in 14-day judicial custody, as the ED did not request further custody. During the hearing, Nagendra’s advocate highlighted his client’s heart stent. Nagendra was sent to the central prison at Parappana Agrahara with tight security. The central agency had interrogated Nagendra for 11 days following his arrest on July 12 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) after a state-wide search operation.
Incriminating documents were found linking Nagendra and Raichur Rural MLA Basanagouda Daddal, the corporation chairman, to the alleged Rs 194 crore misappropriation. Daddal was also questioned by the ED.
The multi-crore scam is being investigated by both the Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the state government and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Nagendra resigned as a minister on June 6 due to his alleged involvement in the scam.