Karnataka bribegate: BJP MLA gets interim anticipatory bail

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, Mar 07, 2023: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who is on the run after being booked for corruption.

However, the BJP MLA has been asked to appear before the investigating officer in the bribery case.

 

Virupakshappa, an MLA from Channagiri in the Davanagere district, was booked in a bribery case in which his son was caught red-handed while receiving a bribe of Rs 40 lakh.

In an alleged cash-for-contract scandal, over Rs 8 crore was recovered by Lokayukta from the MLA’s son V Prashanth Madal last week. Lokayukta then registered an FIR in the bribery case and named Virupakshappa as the number one accused.

The unaccounted cash was recovered from the office of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, of which Virupakshappa was the Chairman, after a trap by Lokayukta officers. The MLA subsequently quit 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, huge quantity of gold and silver ornaments and large investments in land in various parts of Karnataka were allegedly uncovered.

Courtesy: India Today