The Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru on Tuesday, 4 August dismissed a petition filed by newly inducted Karnataka Minister B. Nagendra seeking permission to travel to New Delhi, delivering a fresh blow to the Congress government already under fire for reinstating him to the Cabinet amid the alleged Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation (STDC) scam. The court's ruling comes barely a day after Nagendra was sworn in as a minister, and is expected to sharpen the political controversy surrounding his return.

What the Court Decided

Nagendra had petitioned the court for permission to visit New Delhi between 7 August and 10 August. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the money laundering dimension of the alleged scam, opposed the plea and urged the court to deny it. Special Court Judge Shivaprasad ruled that Nagendra had failed to furnish sufficient and convincing reasons for the proposed visit and dismissed the petition.

Nagendra is reportedly set to be assigned the Fisheries, Ports and Inland Water Transport portfolio following his induction into the Cabinet on Monday, 3 August.

Background: The Valmiki STDC Scam

Nagendra had earlier resigned as a minister under then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah after the alleged scam — involving funds meant for Scheduled Tribes welfare — came to light. The Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which probed the predicate offence, subsequently gave him a clean chit. However, the ED's separate investigation into the alleged money laundering aspect of the case remains ongoing, making his return to the Cabinet a politically sensitive move.

This is not the first time a state minister has faced judicial scrutiny over travel permissions while under investigation — but the timing, just 24 hours after reinstatement, is notably rare.

Opposition Attacks Congress Over Reinduction

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has mounted a sustained offensive against the Congress government, alleging that the ruling party rewarded a leader linked to the alleged tribal welfare scam. The BJP has also repeatedly questioned Congress leadership, including Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, over the decision to bring Nagendra back into the Cabinet despite the pending ED probe.

BJP MLA Gali Janardhana Reddy, in sharp remarks, alleged that Nagendra was merely the public face of the scam while others escaped accountability. 'They used Nagendra as a shield while the others looted the remaining money from behind. Nagendra received only 10–20 per cent, while the rest of the money was allegedly used for the Assembly elections in Ballari, Telangana and Goa,' Reddy alleged.

Reddy further claimed that the Congress inducted Nagendra into the Cabinet out of fear that he might turn approver. 'If Nagendra had not been made a minister, he would have become an approver. That is why he has been given a Cabinet position,' he alleged. Reddy also said he had 'sympathy' for Nagendra, claiming the minister had indicated he would submit before the court a list of all those who received scam funds — a prospect he said prompted Congress to secure his loyalty with a ministerial post. These allegations are Reddy's own and have not been independently verified.

What Happens Next

The court's rejection of the travel plea is expected to intensify scrutiny of Nagendra's position in the Cabinet, with the opposition likely to raise the issue during the upcoming Karnataka Legislature session. The ED probe into the alleged money laundering case continues, and any further judicial developments could add to the political pressure on the Congress government in the state.