CBI investigation pendency does not bar Nagendra from Ministerial berth: Khader
Karnataka Health Minister U.T. Khader has defended the inclusion of B. Nagendra in the state cabinet despite an ongoing CBI investigation into fund misappropriation. Khader argued that the investigation does not legally bar Nagendra from holding office and accused the BJP of using the issue to disrupt legislative proceedings.
Why it matters
This highlights the intersection of legal accountability and political ethics in Indian governance, reflecting ongoing tensions between ruling and opposition parties.
Merely because the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is investigating the alleged misappropriation of funds related to the Valmiki Development Corporation, B. Nagendra cannot be denied a berth in the cabinet of D.K. Shivakumar, said Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader in Mangaluru on Saturday.
Talking to reporters, Mr. Khader said that soon after the allegation, Mr. Nagendra tendered his resignation from the post. In a two-year period, a Special Investigation Team investigated the case and found Mr. Nagendra innocent. More than 90% of the misappropriated money has been returned to the Corporation. Just a few days before the swearing-in of Mr. Nagendra and other legislators to the Cabinet, the CBI sent a letter seeking prosecution sanction against Mr. Nagendra by annexing three charge sheets that showed the role of the Minister in the alleged misappropriation.
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