Lokayukta traps BJP MLA\'s son while taking bribe of Rs 40 lakh cash in Bengaluru
Bengaluru: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Veerupakshappa Madal’s son Prashanth Madal, Chief Accountant of Bangalore Water Supplies and Sewage Board (BWSSB) was raided and trapped red-handed by the sleuths of Lokayukta Bengaluru city on Thursday evening and recovered a cash of Rs 40 lakh from the accused. Veerupakshappa Madal represents Channagiri Assembly seat in Davangere district.
It is alleged that Prashanth Madal allegedly collected Rs 40 lakh as bribe on behalf of his father Veerupakshappa Madal while the actual demand from a contractor is said to Rs 81 lakh. The bribe allegedly demanded to procure raw materials tender for Karnataka State and Detergents Limited for which Veerupakshappa Madal is the chairperson.
The Lokayukta laid a trap trap on Prashanth Madal at around 6.45 pm on Thursday when he was at his office on Crescent road in Bengaluru city. During the searches on the house of the accused, the sleuths recovered cash of about Rs 6 crore. The sleuths continued their searches on the residence of the accused on Friday.
Regarding the trapping, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Friday said “We revived the Lokayukta institution to curb corruption. Without Lokayukta, such corrupt incidents have gone unnoticed during the Congress party rule in the State.” He added “Erring persons will be punished after detailed investigation.”
It is said that the Lokayukta trap is a setback for BJP MLA Veerupakshappa Madal who is said to have plans to field his another son Mallikarjun Madal to fight the ensuing Assembly polls.
Meanwhile, president of Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) D.K. Shivakumar said BJP leaders were demanding proof for corruption and now Lokayukta sleuths have come up with the proof of corruption against BJP.
Veerupakshappa Madal resigns as chairman of KSDL
The day after his son Prashanth Madal, Chief Accountant of Bangalore Water Supplies and Sewage Board (BWSSB) was trapped red-handed with a cash of Rs 40 lakh by Lokayukta sleuths on Thursday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Veerupakshappa Madal resigned as the chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited on Friday. He stated he decided to resign on moral grounds.
In his resignation to the Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, Veerupakshappa stated that he had nothing to do with the Lokayukta trapping of his son and alleged that a conspiracy had been hatched against his family.
In the search conducted on the residence of the accused, Lokayukta sleuths are said to have recovered cash of Rs 6 crore and another cash of Rs 1.2 crore was also seized from his office.
Over the resignation of Veerupakshappa Madal, Janata Dal Secular (JDS) leader and former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy demanded answers from the BJP over his questions ``Why did he tender resignation” and posed a query “Why did Chief Minister accept his resignation?”
Kumaraswamy to BJP, “If Veerupakshappa did not commit any wrong, then, what is the reason for him to step down?”Attacking the BJP, Kumaraswamy said“It is unfortunate that such incidents go unpunished and ultimately people will have to decide.” He questioned BJP “Is it corruption free governance?”
