K’taka Police submits chargesheet in Tribal Welfare Board superintendent’s suicide case
Bengaluru: Karnataka Police have submitted a chargesheet to the local court in the superintendent suicide case related to the Tribal Welfare Board case, sources confirmed on Thursday.
Karnataka Police, attached to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), is investigating the case of the suicide of Accounts Superintendent P. Chandrasekaran (52), which brought to light the alleged multi-crore Tribal Welfare Board case.
The 300-page chargesheet does not mention the names of any politicians from the ruling Congress. Chandrasekaran’s death note, however, indicated the involvement of a minister from the Congress government in the Tribal Welfare case and held him responsible for his death.
Sources said that the chargesheet states that Chandrasekaran committed suicide due to pressure from officials of the tribal board. The chargesheet names the Board’s Managing Director Padmanabha and accountant Parashuram as those who pressured Chandrasekaran. Both officials are also jailed in connection with the case.
Chandrasekaran was working with the board and earned a good name as an upright officer.
His suicide exposed the case, leading to significant developments that compelled the state government to obtain the resignation of Minister B. Nagendra and to hand over the case to the CID.
Nagendra is currently jailed by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the case.
The case was initially lodged at the Vinobanagar police station in Shivamogga city. Based on a complaint by Chandrasekaran’s wife, the local police conducted the preliminary probe and later CID took over the investigation.
Chandrasekaran, who hailed from the Dalit community, ended his life at his residence in Shivamogga. In his note, he mentioned the involvement of a sitting minister – though he did not name him specifically – as a factor in his decision to take his own life.
Earlier, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had submitted a 3,072-page chargesheet against 12 accused individuals. However, the chargesheet did not mention the names of former minister B. Nagendra, who is jailed by the ED in connection with the case, or MLA and Tribal Welfare Board Chairman Basanagouda Daddal.
The BJP has alleged that this is a Rs 187 crore scam perpetrated by the state government. They further claimed that the money was transferred to various bank accounts in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and other states to fund the Congress party in elections.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah stated on the floor of the house: “We have not claimed that there was no wrongdoing in the Tribal Welfare Development Corporation. The opposition has repeatedly accused us of misusing Rs 187.33 crore. Out of this, Rs 89.63 crore was transferred from the Union Bank of India, MG Road Branch, to Telangana.”
The BJP has demanded that the scam be handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). They have also called for the resignation of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, who holds the Finance portfolio.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah claimed that ED officials threatened the former Tribal Welfare Development Board Managing Director B. Kallesh to implicate him in the alleged case during interrogation.
Three investigative agencies are currently probing the irregularities in the Tribal Welfare Board case. The SIT was formed on May 31, 2024, and a complaint was filed with the CBI on June 3, 2024, by the Union Bank of India. Meanwhile, the ED is conducting its own independent investigation.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has stated that it is unprecedented in his experience for three investigative agencies to investigate the same case. He also accused the Union government of adopting unfair means to destabilise the state government and to tarnish both his and the government’s reputation.