Nagendra sent to ED custody for six days in Valmiki corporation scam

Former minister B. Nagendra arrested by ED, remanded into custody; claims innocence, requests medical checkup, denies involvement in corruption case.

Former minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare B. Nagendra who was arrested by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED), on Friday, was remanded into six days ED custody by the court on Saturday morning.

Officials produced Mr. Nagendra at the house of the judge of Special Court of Sessions for criminal cases against former present MPs and MLAs at 6 am Saturday morning after a medical checkup at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospitals.

Mr. Nagendra reportedly claimed that he had no knowledge of the happenings in Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation and that he was being framed in the case. He also pleaded before the court that he was unwell and needed regular medical checkup. The court has directed officials to get him a medical checkup every 24 hours.

Defending the arrest, ED brought to the notice of the court that N. Chandrashekharan, an employee of the corporation who ended his life, had claimed in his death note that the officials of the corporation pressured him to transfer the money, claiming that it was under the directions of the minister. ED also said that the former minister was not cooperating with the investigation and denied any knowledge of the crime even when confronted with evidence, arguing for the need of his custodial interrogation.