chief Basanagouda Daddal arrives to attend monsoon session

BENGALURU: Chairperson of scam-hit Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd Basanagouda Daddal, who was inaccessible for the last few days, arrived at the Vidhana Soudha to attend the monsoon session of the legislature on Monday.

Daddal, who is Raichur Rural Congress MLA, told reporters that he was not absconding but was at his village.

Daddal further said that he had not received any notice from the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in connection with the alleged Rs 94 crore irregularities at the corporation.

The ED had recently raided several locations allegedly belonging to Daddal and former minister B Nagendra. Nagendra, who was the Scheduled Tribes Welfare minister in the Siddaramaiah Cabinet, has been arrested.

While the State government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged irregularities, the ED and the Central Bureau of Investigation are also investigating the case.

Meanwhile, Assembly Speaker UT Khader informed the House that Nagendra has been arrested by ED under the Money Laundering Act.