Pioneer In Short
Karnataka minister quits on scam heat
Karnataka minister B Nagendra resigned from the State Cabinet on Friday, barely 25 days after his re-induction, amid renewed Opposition pressure over his alleged role in the `89.63-crore Valmiki Corporation scam. Nagendra, who had resigned as Tribal Welfare Minister in June 2024 after the controversy surfaced, was re-inducted on August 3 with the Planning and Statistics portfolio. He said he was resigning voluntarily to prevent embarrassment to the Congress and protect Chief Minister DK Shivakumar’s development agenda. An emotional Nagendra denied any involvement in the scam, questioning what evidence linked him to the alleged diversion of funds.
He also accused the BJP of targeting him because he is an Adivasi leader and alleged that investigative agencies had “hurriedly” added his name to a second chargesheet. The BJP and JD(S) welcomed his resignation as a victory, with Leader of Opposition R Ashoka calling it the first setback for the Shivakumar government. BJP state president B Y Vijayendra said Nagendra was only a “small fry” and demanded that the wider conspiracy be exposed. The Opposition has planned a September 1-10 march from Raichur to Ballari over the issue.
SIR forms at shop trigger probe
Five Booth Level Officers (BLOs) were suspended after 3,400 forms linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls were found at a photocopy shop in Navi Mumbai’s Kharghar, officials said on Friday. The forms, pertaining to voters in the Panvel Assembly constituency and covering 11 polling stations, were allegedly brought to the shop by Suraj Patil, whom Shiv Sena (UBT) workers claimed was a BJP youth wing office-bearer. Police took Patil into custody after Sena (UBT) activists confronted him at the shop. A case has been registered against him under the Representation of the People Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Raigad Collector Kishan Jawale said. The administration launched an inquiry after a video of the incident went viral. Officials seized the forms and transferred them to the police station. The five BLOs were suspended pending disciplinary proceedings.
Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP) leaders questioned how voter-filled forms reached a private individual, with NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar demanding action beyond the BLOs. BJP leaders in Panvel denied any connection between party workers and the incident.
