Valmiki Corporation Scam : Karnataka High Court Allows CBI To Investigate Alleged Diversion Of Funds From KGTTI & ST Welfare Dept

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday allowed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to investigate the role of public officials in the alleged diversion of funds from the Karnataka Gramin Technical Training Institute (KGTTI) and the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department as part of its investigation into the scam related to the Valmiki ST Development Corporation.The CBI said that while investigating the Valmiki Corporation scam, it found evidence related to the diversion of funds from the KGTII and the ST Welfare Department, and sought the Court's leave to investigate these aspects as well, saying that they are "intricately connected" to the Valmiki scam.The Court directed the State CID, Enforcement Directorate, Central and State Forensic Science Laboratories and the concerned court to furnish documents and forensic images collected by them during the investigation into the matter to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A single judge, Justice M Nagaprasanna said “ I direct the CID, Enforcement Directorate, Central Forensic Science Laboratory and the State Forensic Science Laboratory and the concerned Court to furnish the documents and forensic images as sought for, for the purpose of conduct of investigation and filing of a final report before the concerned Court.” The Court gave the direction on the prayer made by the CBI while hearing a petition filed by four BJP leaders, including Basanagouda R Patil, who have sought that the scam, which is being probed by the State agency, be probed by CBI. The petitioners had also sought for a direction to the CBI, to place on record, the status report of the investigation that it has conducted in the crime registered by it on 03-06-2024, based on the complaint made by Union Bank of India. Accordingly, the court from time to time, had secured status reports from the hands of the CBI. In its latest status report, the agency informed the court that during the investigation, the involvement of public servants, in collusion with other accused persons, has been prima facie established. A sum of ₹95.00 Lakhs was siphoned off from the account of KGTTI. Also, an amount of ₹2.17 crores, belonging to the Scheduled Tribes Welfare Department, was diverted from another account of the KMVSTDCL (Valmiki Corporation)In this backdrop, the CBI filed an application seeking the Court's permission to investigate the role of the officials and private individuals involved in the diversion of funds from the Karnataka German Technical Training Institute (KGTTI)and the ST Welfare Department, as part of the present investigation. Allowing the CBI's prayer, the Court said, “In light of the status report being sought at the hands of this Court from time to time, what the CBI has sought is only to further the investigation that is entrusted to it by the Bank. Horizons of investigation is sought to be expanded in view of what is gathered during the investigation, as narrated in the status report.” It added “Since the prayer is for completion of investigation or taking the investigation to its logical conclusion by filing a final report before the concerned Court, I deem it appropriate to grant the prayers that are sought by the CBI in the status report.” Case Title: Basanagouda R Patil & OThers AND Central Bureau of Investigation Case No: WP 31101/2024 Appearance: Advocate Venkatesh Dalwai for Petitioner. SPP P Prasanna Kumar for CBI.Click here to read the order

Valmiki Corporation Scam : Karnataka High Court Allows CBI To Investigate Alleged Diversion Of Funds From KGTTI & ST Welfare Dept

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