Bengaluru, 30 May

State BJP workers tried to lay siege to the residence of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in the City on Thursday, demanding the resignation of Tribe Welfare Minister B Nagendra.

They were protesting against the suicide of Chandrasekaran P, the Superintendent of the Karnataka Maharishi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (KMVSTDC).

According to the police, BJP ST Morcha workers demanded that Nagendra should resign over the alleged misappropriation of Rs 187 crore in the KMVSTDC. Tension prevailed as the police detained the BJP workers from entering the Chief Minister’s residence. The workers raised slogans against Congress, and dubbed it as anti-Dalit. They were frisked to police vans and taken away.

Later speaking to reporters Home Minister G Parameshwara said that an investigation has been ordered into the suicide. “It is said that money was transferred from the main account to other branches, and from there, it went to four other accounts. Until the investigation is completed, we can’t draw any conclusions,” he said.

Parameshwara said, “It was claimed yesterday that Rs 187 crore was transferred, with Rs 93 crore distributed to individual accounts. Others claim it was Rs 83 crore. There should be evidence to prove the inister’s offence. They claim that the suicide note states the Minister gave oral instructions. This will be examined.”

“In some cases, such notes are found immediately; sometimes they are found later. There is evidence that some these notes are written after the deaths occur. In this context, the note will be probed, and its genuineness needs to be ascertained. Only then will the investigation proceed,” he added.