Karnataka BJP MLA, accused in cash-for-contract case, moves court

BJP MLA Madalu Virupakshappa, accused in a bribery case, approached the Karnataka High Court on Monday (March 6) seeking anticipatory bail.

The MLA’s lawyer moved the bench of Justice K Natarajan seeking urgent hearing of the petition. The court said it would hear it after listing on Tuesday.

In an alleged cash-for-contract scandal, over Rs 8 crore was recovered by a Lokayukta team from the MLA’s son V Prashanth Madalu last week.

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Lokayukta has registered an FIR in the case, in which Virupakshappa has been named accused number one.

MLA quits

The unaccounted-for cash was recovered from the office of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd, of which Virupakshappa was the chairman, after a trap by Lokayukta in which his son was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh.

The MLA then resigned from the post.

Further searches led to the recovery of about Rs 2 crore from the KSDL office and over Rs 6 crore from Prashanth’s house. Altogether, Rs 8.23 crore cash, a huge quantity of gold and silver ornaments and large investments in land in various parts of Karnataka were allegedly uncovered, Lokayukta sources said.

Also read: Karnataka: With son arrested, absconding MLA embarrasses BJP ahead of elections

Virupakshappa has also approached a civil court in Bengaluru seeking injunction against media houses from publishing defamatory news about him.

Congress slams BJP

Congress general secretary and Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala has slammed the BJP government on the bribery case.

“If the (Chief Minister Basavaraj) Bommai government cannot even arrest an absconding MLA, how will it tackle law and order and criminals in Karnataka?” he asked.

The Congress leader said he would disclose more information on “Bribegate” shortly. He said the chief minister ought to resign.

(With agency inputs)