BJP MLA resigns as KSDL chairperson after son's bribery raid
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Madal Virupakshappa stepped down as Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) President on Friday after his son Prashanth Madal was arrested by the anti-corruption division of Lokayukta on Thursday while taking a bribe of Rs. 40 lakh. According to Lokayukta officials, they apprehended Madal while he was reportedly accepting the bribe at his office in Bengaluru.
Why does this story matter?
- The arrest of Virupakshappa's son comes just a couple of months before the much-anticipated 2023 Assembly elections in Karnataka. To note, polling for the 224-seat state is set to happen later this year in May.
- It is also worth noting that this development occurs barely a few days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Karnataka.
Lokayukta recovers Rs. 6 crore in cash
Virupakshappa is currently under the cosh following his son's arrest, with Lokayukta officials also recovering Rs. 6 crore in cash from his residence during a raid. The BJP MLA from Davanagere district's Channagiri is the chairperson of the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, while his son is the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board's (BWSSB) chief accountant.
Visuals of Lokayukta's raid
Details of Virupakshappa's resignation
In his letter of resignation, Virupakshappa reportedly denied the claims against him and said that he has no links to the raid conducted by the anti-corruption unit. Per reports, his son accepted the bribe on his behalf. "I have no link to the Lokayukta raid. This is a conspiracy against me and my family," India Today quoted the BJP MLA's resignation as saying.
Here's how Lokayukta caught Prashanth red-handed
A contractor reportedly filed a case against Prashanth, accusing him of taking bribes on Thursday. Based on this, Lokayukta officials laid a trap and caught Prashanth while he was accepting a bribe. "We conducted searches at his office and found Rs 1.7 crore. We suspect Prashanth was receiving bribes on behalf of his father," said a Lokayukta official.
Congress attacks BJP over Virupakshappa's son's arrest
After the incident, Congress launched a sarcastic attack on the BJP, with Randeep Surjewala calling it the "Bhrasht Janta Party." "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 Rs. 40 Lakh bribe & within 24 hours, Rs. 6,00,00,000 recovered from house," Surjewala tweeted.
Surjewala's Twitter post
Virupakshappa's reaction to son's arrest
Earlier, Virupakshappa had reacted to Prashanth's arrest by saying he had no idea about it and only came to know about the development from reports. "I don't know about this. I got information about the incident from news reports," he said. "I didn't speak to my son as he's under the custody of the Lokayukta now," added the BJP MLA.
