High Court allows B Nagendra to travel across India

The counsel submitted that Nagendra's constitutional and official responsibilities required him to attend meetings and undertake official visits outside the state.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has allowed former minister B. Nagendra, an accused in the alleged Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation financial irregularities case, to travel anywhere in the country without prior court permission.

However, a single judge Bench headed by Justice M. Nagaprasanna has directed Nagendra to obtain permission from the trial court before travelling abroad on Thursday August 20.

Nagendra had approached the High Court seeking relaxation of a bail condition that barred him from leaving Karnataka without the trial court’s permission. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is investigating the alleged financial irregularities, opposed the plea and urged the court not to dilute the conditions imposed while granting him bail.

After hearing both sides, the High Court modified the condition and permitted Nagendra to travel across the country. The court, however, retained the requirement of seeking the trial court’s permission for any foreign travel.

The court noted that Nagendra is currently a minister in the state Cabinet and holds an important portfolio, making travel outside Karnataka necessary for official duties.

“Since the petitioner is presently a Minister in the State Cabinet and holds an important portfolio, there would be occasions when he is required to travel beyond the State in discharge of his official duties. In such circumstances, preventing him from travelling within the country would impinge upon his liberty as well as the responsibilities attached to the office he presently holds,” the court observed.

The Bench consequently quashed the condition in the October 14, 2024 bail order that restricted Nagendra from travelling outside Karnataka without prior permission.

During an earlier hearing, senior counsel appearing for Nagendra had argued that his circumstances had changed significantly since the bail order was passed. At the time, he was not holding any ministerial position, whereas he had now returned to the state Cabinet and was required to travel outside Karnataka for official and political engagements.

The counsel submitted that Nagendra’s constitutional and official responsibilities required him to attend meetings and undertake official visits outside the state. Continuing the earlier restriction, he argued, would seriously affect his ability to discharge his duties as a minister.

Nagendra had also sought permission to travel to New Delhi between July 26 and August 10, 2026, to meet the leadership of his national political party and attend organisational meetings. He had moved the application under Section 439(1)(b) of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking modification of the bail conditions.

The trial court had rejected his request, following which Nagendra approached the High Court challenging the order.

The ED is investigating alleged misappropriation and irregular financial transactions involving the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Nagendra is an accused in the case and had earlier secured conditional bail from the trial court.

Under the original bail conditions, he was required to obtain prior permission before leaving Karnataka and surrender his passport before the court.

The High Court has now relaxed only the restriction on domestic travel. Nagendra can travel anywhere within India without seeking prior permission from the trial court, but he will have to approach the trial court before undertaking any foreign trip.

The order provides Nagendra greater freedom to discharge his ministerial responsibilities while retaining judicial oversight over his international travel during the pendency of the case.