No interference in Lokayukta’s probe in bribery case against BJP MLA: BSY

Team Udayavani, Mar 4, 2023, 5:19 PM IST

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Former Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Saturday said that the state government will not interfere in the Lokayukta probe against Channagiri constituency MLA Madal Virupakshappa and his son in a bribery case.

Yediyurappa told reporters that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai had already issued a statement regarding the matter.

“No one is trying to interfere with the probe. The Chief Minister has stated that the party will not protect anyone and the guilty will be punished as per the legal framework. I will not speak about it any further,” he added.

Yediyurappa refused to comment on the Congress leaders’ protest calling for Bommai’s resignation.

Meanwhile, Lokayukta sources explained that they are likely to arrest MLA Madal Virupakshappa in connection with the case.

The Lokayukta officials caught Prashanth Kumar, the chief accounts officer in the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh at the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited (KSDL) office from a contractor.

Lokayukta said Prashanth was collecting money on behalf of his MLA father Virupakshappa, who is the KSDL chairman. The deal was for Rs 81 lakh and the first instalment was paid to him. Prashanth allegedly pestered the contractor, who had supplied chemical required for soap and detergent manufacturing, to cough up 40 per cent commission on the contract.

Further searches led to the recovery of more than Rs 2 crore from the office.Intensifying their search operation, the sleuths raided various places belonging to the father-son duo, which led to the seizure of another cache of more than Rs 6 crore of cash, 4.4 kg gold, 26 kg silver ornaments, two luxury cars and investment details.

According to the Lokayukta sleuths, the legislator has 232 acres of land in Chitradurga district, 60 acres in Shivamogga district, 64 acres in Davangere and 52 acres in Vijayanagar.

Virupakshappa resigned on Friday from KSDL but maintained that he has been framed on baseless charges as part of a conspiracy against him.

Virupakshappa has been made the prime accused in the case. The development has caused severe embarrassment to the ruling BJP. Prashanth Madal has been sent to 14 days judicial custody.

With IANS & PTI inputs