Karnataka HC lifts travel restriction on Nagendra but restrains travel abroad sans prior nod

The High Court of Karnataka on Thursday permitted Minister for Planning and Statistics B. Nagendra to travel across the country without seeking prior permission of the trial court, but continued the restriction on travelling abroad without the court’s prior permission.

Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order while modifying the condition imposed by the trial court in 2024 while granting him bail in a money laundering case booked by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) in a case related to the alleged misappropriation of over ₹89 crore of the State-run Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation Ltd.

The alleged fraud had taken place when he was the Minister for Scheduled Tribes Welfare, Youth Empowerment and Sports in 2024, and he was arrested by the ED, by arraigning him as an accused in the money laundering case, though he was not named as an accused in the chargesheet filed by the State police. He had resigned from the State Cabinet led by then Chief Minister Siddaramaiah in June 2024 following allegations of his involvement in the fraud, and was later arrested by the ED.

Mr. Nagendra, a four-time MLA from the Ballari Assembly constituency, became a Minister in June this year in the Cabinet led by Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

After assuming the post of Minister, Mr. Nagendra filed the petition seeking relaxation in bail conditions while pointing out the difficulties that he would face in seeking permission from the trial court every time he is required to travel outside the State to discharge his duties as a Minister.