Bengaluru: The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka has been left red in the face, with the son of a party legislator allegedly being caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh from a private contractor. The allegations against Prashanth Madal, the chief accountant of the Bangalore Water Supply And Sewerage Board (BWSSB) came a day before Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to the state to flag off the BJP’s Vijaya Sankalpa Ratha Yatra, ahead of this year’s assembly elections in the state.
Prashanth, a 2008 batch Karnataka administrative services officer and son of Channagiri MLA K. Madal Virupakshappa, was caught by the police wing of the state’s anti-corruption body, the Karnataka Lokayukta, while allegedly accepting a bribe from a contractor for awarding a deal to buy raw material needed for making soap and other detergents.
Prashanth, is the chief accounts officer of the BWSSB. He was arrested from the office of the state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL), manufacturer of the brand “Mysore Sandal Soap”. His father was chairman of KSDL, but resigned from the post following his son’s arrest. It has been alleged that Prashanth was receiving the bribe on behalf of his father.
Prashanth’s arrest followed the Lokayukta laying a trap for KSDL officials, after a private contractor filed a complaint against bribes being demanded.
According to an official communication released by the Lokayukta, searches were carried out by five teams in the offices and residential premises of the accused people. While the Lokayukta communication also mentioned Virupakshappa as an accused in the case, the MLA has not been arrested yet.
“Lokayukta police raided the office and recovered Rs 2.02 crore.. this was followed by a raid on the residence and in the search of the residence, they have recovered Rs 6.10 crore. So far five people have been apprehended and they have been taken into custody and being produced before the court,” Karnataka Lokayukta, Justice B.S. Patil, said while addressing a press conference in Bengaluru Friday.
Patil added that an FIR has been registered in the case and the role of those involved will be “unearthed”. While details of the FIR are not yet known, Patil said, search operations are still on to find clues in the case and more unaccounted-for cash and wealth.
While opposition Congress has mounted a scathing attack on the BJP following Prashanth’s arrest, branding it the “Bhrasht (corrupt) Janata Party”, Virupakshappa has reportedly written to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, alleging it to be a conspiracy against his family. “I’m submitting my resignation under moral responsibility as there is an allegation against me,” he said. His resignation was based “moral responsibility for whatever happened”, he added.
Bommai Friday promised an impartial inquiry in the case and told the media that those who have “committed mistakes” must be punished.
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‘40% commission govt’
The allegations against the BJP legislator’s son come even as Shah launches the party’s campaign for this year’s scheduled assembly elections in the state, seeking votes to “eradicate corruption” in Karnataka if the BJP is voted back to power.
This is not the first time that the BJP government in the state has had to battle graft charges. While contractors handling government projects in the state have accused BJP ministers and MLAs of demanding 40 per cent commission to get bills cleared, the government was also been rocked by the alleged scam in the recruitment of police sub-inspectors.
The alleged 40 per cent bribes scandal was also referred to by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge Friday, as he hit out at the BJP on the MLA son’s case.
“This is a 40% commission government. The Lokayukta should quickly take action. The government should also take action against the culprits,” said Kharge, while talking to news agency PTI.
VIDEO | "It is very bad. It is proved that this is a 40% commission government," says Congress president @kharge as Rs 6 crore was seized in Lokayukta raid at BJP MLA’s home after his son was caught taking a bribe in Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/qGBc8EIIJV
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 3, 2023
All India Congress Committee general secretary and the party’s Karnataka in-charge Randeep Singh Surjewala also took to social media to hit out at the BJP.
“Ugly stench of Corruption of #40PercentSarkara has soiled the beautiful scent of ‘Mysore Sandal Soap also. 1st, the KSDL Chairman-BJP MLA Virupakshappa’s son is caught taking ₹40 Lakh bribe & within 24 hours, ₹6,00,00,000 recovered from house. BJP – ‘BHRASHT JANTA PARTY’,” wrote Surjewala.
“Ugly stench of Corruption” of #40PercentSarkara has soiled the beautiful scent of “Mysore Sandal Soap” also.
1st, the KSDL Chairman-BJP MLA Virupakshappa’s son is caught taking ₹40 Lakh bribe & within 24 hours, ₹6,00,00,000 recovered from house.
BJP – “BHRASHT JANTA PARTY” pic.twitter.com/joOHgNOE44
— Randeep Singh Surjewala (@rssurjewala) March 3, 2023
Promising an impartial inquiry into the case, Bommai said Friday, “The incumbent government re-established the Lokayukta to check corruption. In the absence of the anti-corruption institution so many incidents had taken place during the Congress regime and also hushed up.”
He added: “Everything must come out even to whom the money belonged to, so that it must be known to everyone. Those who have made the mistake will be punished.”
(Edited by Poulomi Banerjee)
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