Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President and former Minister KT Rama Rao (KTR) has stirred political controversy by alleging a connection between the Valmiki scam in Karnataka and politicians and businessmen in Telangana. In a tweet, KTR raised a series of questions about the scam, suggesting that substantial sums of money had been transferred from Karnataka's Scheduled Tribes (ST) Corporation to individuals and entities in Hyderabad.
"The outrageous Valmiki Scam in Karnataka and its intriguing link to Telangana politicians & businessmen. Who are the 9 bank account holders in Hyderabad to whom the ST Corporation money of Rs. 45 crore was transferred? Who is the owner of 'V6 Business' to which Rs. 4.5 crore was transferred?" KTR tweeted.
He further questioned why the Telangana media had allegedly suppressed news of the scam, despite raids conducted by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and Enforcement Directorate (ED) in the state.
KTR also pointed out that Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had acknowledged in the Karnataka Assembly that Rs. 90 crore had been embezzled in the scam. Additionally, KTR questioned the implications of a statement made by Karnataka Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who allegedly suggested that the Telangana government could be destabilized if Siddaramaiah were removed from office.
KTR's allegations have added fuel to the ongoing political tensions between the BRS and Congress, with the former minister demanding answers and transparency regarding the alleged links between the scam in Karnataka and individuals in Telangana. Further, he asked, "Why is the ED silent in Telangana even after getting substantial leads? "