Lokayukta officials caught Virupakshappa’s son, Prashanth Madal, red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh and, later, raids at the homes of the legislator and his son revealed over Rs 8 crore in unaccounted cash. Prashanth worked as the chief financial officer of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board.
Shreyas Kashyap of Chemical Corporation, a supplier of raw materials to state-run soap factory Karnataka Soaps and detergents Ltd (KSDL) headed by Virupakshappa, lodged a police complaint alleging that Prashanth had sought a bribe.
Kashyap told police that Prashanth demanded Rs 81 lakh to clear a tender worth Rs 4.8 crore and alleged that the money was sought on behalf of the MLA. The Lokayukta police caught Prashanth accepting the bribe and arrested him. Virupakshappa has been on the run after tendering his resignation from the KSDL on March 3.
Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai used this incident to hit out at the opposition, stating that his government will punish those found guilty even if they belonged to his party. After Virupakshappa went incommunicado, he filed for an injunction against media outlets asking them to refrain from publishing any article or news defaming him.
The BJP went to town about how it will fight the upcoming assembly elections based on development, vision and providing clean governance. Even union home minister Amit Shah, during a public rally in Ballari, asked people to “trust the BJP and give Modi and Yediyurappa one more chance”. Just as this was gaining ground, the Lokayukta raid on the BJP MLA certainly knocked the air out of the party albeit temporarily.
Leaders from the BJP who have expressed their discomfort about the incident to the top bosses said the series of events – from the time Virupakshappa went untraceable for five days until the time he was given a hero’s welcome in his constituency Channagiri after he moved for anticipatory bail – only worsened the situation and should have been handled more tactfully.
Soon after Prashanth’s arrest, their homes were raided revealing unaccounted for cash stashed away. The legislator, in his defence, claimed that Channagiri was a land where areca nut is grown and the money found was from the sale of the produce.
“It is common to find Rs 4 crore to Rs 5 crore in the house of a common man here. Rs 6 crore is not a big deal for us and I will submit all relevant documents to the Lokayukta,” the MLA said in his defence. He also said the money found in his home was not made out of corruption, but he was silent about the bribery charges against Prashanth.
In 2008, while contesting from Channagiri, Virupakshappa had declared personal ownership of only 12 acres of land valued at Rs 50 lakh. In 2013, he declared immovable assets of 12 acres valued at Rs 80 lakh and a total wealth of Rs 1.79 crore. In the 2018 election affidavit, the MLA declared that he owned nearly 20 acres of land valued at Rs 1.35 crore and declared his net worth as Rs 5.73 crore in the previous assembly election.
The MLA’s stand on the Lokayukta notice against him is that it is based only on the fact that he was chairperson of KSDL. “We had sharpened our attack against the Congress on the issue of corruption and how they had dissolved the Lokayukta, and instated the anti-corruption bureau to keep track of corruption cases and bury its cases with the Lokayukta. But this incident has blunted that sting,” said a BJP leader upset about the incident.
The Lokayukta police have said they will investigate the sources of income of the father-son duo and cross-confirm with his declaration of assets during elections. The MLA has acquired nearly 125 acres in his home district of Davangere and the source of that income but the land is also being investigated.
In a statement, the Lokayukta police said, “Rs 6.10 crore that was seized involves a case of disproportionate assets. The purchase of 125 acres of land has to be explained and income-tax returns have to be verified.”
It was not just Virupakshappa on the run for days that put the BJP in the dock; the way he moved for a speedy hearing of his anticipatory bail case also embarrassed the government. Soon after, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail on the condition that the MLA should surrender within 48 hours.
In a letter addressed to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, the Bengaluru Advocates Association expressed utter dismay at the swiftness with which Virupakshappa’s matter was posted and the decision delivered. “It normally takes several days to get the matter posted for hearing. But for an MLA it has come in one day… He has taken the order in a VIP lane. This can’t happen in courts. The common man and VIPs are equal,” said association president Vivek Subba Reddy.
When Virupakshappa resurfaced after being granted bail, his supporters at Channagiri celebrated with much fanfare. They took out a procession with the leader in an open jeep as garlands were thrown at him and milk poured on his photograph at a temple in Davanagere.
This, once again, caused the BJP to see red. On Thursday, after moving court, the MLA finally appeared before the Lokayukta for questioning. Virupakshappa is a close associate of the former Karnataka CM BS Yediyurappa and the party is in no mood to upset the apple cart with Yediyurappa in it.
Read all the Latest Politics News here
Comments
0 comment