Hours after his anticipatory bail application was rejected by the Karnataka High Court, BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was arrested in a bribery case related to the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL) on Monday, ANI reported. Virupakshappa was arrested from near Kyathasandra toll plaza in Tumakuru.


"We arrested him in Tumakuru when he (the MLA) was on the way to Bengaluru," Lokayukta Inspector General of Police A Subramanyeshwara Rao told PTI.


On March 7, the Karnataka High Court had granted interim bail to the BJP MLA, who is a close associate of the former Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa.


The BJP MLA's son Prashanth Madal, who is the chief accounts officer of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, was arrested by the Lokayutka on March 2 while allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 40 lakh on behalf of his father at the KSDL office.


READ | BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa's Pre-Arrest Bail Rejected


Following his son's arrest and under pressure from the Opposition, Virupakashappa resigned as chairperson of KSDL. Four more arrests have been made by the Lokayukta police in the case since then.


The case relates to the supply of chemical to KSDL in which a bribe of Rs 81 lakh was allegedly demanded. His son was allegedly caught while receiving Rs 40 lakh of this bribe on his behalf.


Following the arrest of Prashanth Madal, the Lokayukta police had conducted further search operations in the home and offices of the Madal family and recovered over Rs 8.23 crore in cash


The MLA has claimed that he had no role to play in the alleged bribery case and was falsely implicated in it. The BJP MLA also claimed that the Rs 6.10 crore found in his bedroom was linked to his arecanut cultivation business on nearly 125 acres of land held by him and his family members.


Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court sought the response of Virupakshappa on a plea of the Karnataka Lokayukta challenging the anticipatory bail to him by the Karnataka HC.


A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia issued the notice to the BJP legislator.