The ruling BJP in Karnataka, bracing for the state elections, found itself cornered after a party MLA's son was caught red-handed by the Lokayukta while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh on Thursday evening. The Lokayukta sleuths have seized Rs 7.62 crore in cash during the raids on the office and residence of Madal Prashant, a chief accountant with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) and son of two-time BJP MLA K. Madal Virupakshappa (74) from Channagiri (Davangere).
The Lokayukta raided the private office on Crescent Road in Bengaluru belonging to Prashant following a complaint lodged by one Shreyas Kashyap, a contractor.
According to sources, Virupakshappa, the chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), had placed a demand for Rs 80 lakh as bribe to approve a tender for supplying raw material. The aggrieved contractor approached the Lokayukta, who set up a trap and caught Prashant and his accomplices red-handed while accepting Rs 40 lakh in cash as the first installment of the alleged bribe.
During the raids, the sleuths also seized cash worth Rs 1.62 crore from the office. Subsequently, the Lokayukta officials raided the Sanjay Nagar residence of Prashant and recovered Rs 6 crore in cash and have arrested Prashant and four others.
The raids and subsequent arrests on a day prior to Union home minister Amit Shah's scheduled visit to Bengaluru to flag off 'Vijay Sankalpa' Yatre' has caused huge embarrassment to the state BJP leaders. It has also triggered a war of words between the ruling party and the opposition Congress.
While the Congress leaders claim that the Lokayukta raid and recovery of huge bribe money has only proved the earlier charges of corruption (40% commission) against the Bommai government. However, the BJP defended that the raid only showed the party's commitment towards strengthening the anti-corruption watchdog (Lokayukta) to fight corruption.
"Bommai was demanding proof for 40% commission charges against his government when Kempanna (contractors association president) complained of 40% commission. Then BJP leaders like Vishwanath said it was 20%. A minister had to resign after a contractor ended his life alleging demand for bribe. Another BJP leader Yatnal had claimed that Rs 2,500 crore was the price quoted for CM's post and Rs 100-150 crore for a cabinet berth. Now, the Lokayukta has enough proof to convince Bommai. Will the CM resign?," demanded KPCC president D.K. Shivakumar.
Bommai said, "I have always reiterated that we will conduct an impartial probe into such charges. In this case too, we acknowledge Lokayukta is an independent body and whoever is guilty should be punished. The Congress should know that their MLAs and ministers were facing several serious charges. But they managed to bury those cases as the state had only anti corruption bureau (ACB) during the Congress rule. Now that our government has handed over all the cases pending before the ACB to the Lokayukta, truth will come out. We have nothing to hide and the Lokayukta is free to probe all cases. Congress leader KJ George had defended the ACB in the Assembly too. This shows how committed they are to fighting corruption."
