Valmiki Corporation scam: 16 kg gold, Rs 2.5 cr cash seized from accused persons
Bengaluru, Jul 27: In a major breakthrough in the investigation into the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribe Development Corporation scam, the Special Investigation Team seized 16 kg gold and Rs 2.5 crore from two accused.
Top SIT sources told PTI on Saturday that the raid was recently carried out and 15 kg gold was found from Satyanarayana Varma’s house.
Varma had also confessed that he had purchased the ultra-luxury Lamborghini car with the money obtained from the crime.
SIT sources said one kg of gold was found from Kaki Srinivas Rao.
Both were arrested earlier this month as the investigation intensified.
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This apart, Rs 2.5 crore cash was also recovered from a builder, whom Varma had allegedly paid to purchase a luxurious flat.
"The builder was contacted and he immediately returned the amount, which has been seized," the sources added.
Valmiki Corporation scam is said to involve about Rs 187.33 crore where the money kept in different accounts including Rs 40 crore in the government treasury was diverted towards the Union Bank of India’s MG Road branch.
Of the Rs 187.33 crore, Rs 88.63 crore was illegally transferred to at least 217 different bank accounts in Telangana including 18 firms.
Former Minister B Nagendra, who was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate, is in the judicial custody in connection with the case.
The scam came to light after the Accounts Superintendent of the Corporation Chandrasekharan P died by suicide.
In his suicide note, he had explained in detail how the money was transferred and the role of the Corporation and the bank officials in the scam.
The opposition BJP has accused the ruling Congress of being involved in the scam. They have alleged that the transfer of money could not have happened without the knowledge of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
The Chief Minister has rubbished the allegation and said he had no information about it.
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Another North Goa nightclub sealed; Kejriwal says corruption led to fire tragedy
Panaji (PTI): As part of a crackdown against tourist establishments violating laws and safety norms in the aftermath of the Arpora fire tragedy, Goa authorities on Saturday sealed a renowned club at Vagator and revoked the fire department NOC of another club.
Cafe CO2 Goa, located on a cliff overlooking the Arabian Sea at Vagator beach in North Goa, was sealed. The move came two days after Goya Club, also in Vagator, was shut down for alleged violations of rules.
Elsewhere, campaigning for local body polls, AAP leader Arvind Kejriwal said the fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, happened because the BJP government in the state was corrupt.
An inspection of Cafe CO2 Goa by a state government-appointed team revealed that the establishment, with a seating capacity of 250, did not possess a no-objection certificate (NOC) of the Fire and Emergency Services Department. The club, which sits atop Ozrant Cliff, also did not have structural stability, the team found.
The Fire and Emergency Services on Saturday also revoked the NOC issued to Diaz Pool Club and Bar at Anjuna as the fire extinguishers installed in the establishment were found to be inadequate, said divisional fire officer Shripad Gawas.
A notice was issued to Nitin Wadhwa, the partner of the club, he said in the order.
Campaigning at Chimbel village near Panaji in support of his party's Zilla Panchayat election candidate, Aam Aadmi Party leader Kejriwal said the nightclub fire at Arpora happened because of the "corruption of the Pramod Sawant-led state government."
"Why this fire incident happened? I read in the newspapers that the nightclub had no occupancy certificate, no building licence, no excise licence, no construction licence or trade licence. The entire club was illegal but still it was going on," he said.
"How could it go on? Couldn't Pramod Sawant or anyone else see it? I was told that hafta (bribe) was being paid," the former Delhi chief minister said.
A person can not work without bribing officials in the coastal state, Kejriwal said, alleging that officers, MLAs and even ministers are accepting bribes.
