Chennai: To the allegation of Karnataka Congress that the BJP was protecting BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, Karnataka Minister Kota Shrinivas Poojari on Thursday said that it was BJP that restarted Lokayukta, which filed a disproportionate assets case against MLA and his son. Kota Shrinivas Poojari also accused the Congress of removing the teeth of Lokayukta during their regime.
Kota Shrinivas Poojari, Karnataka Minister on Congress' allegation of BJP protecting Madal Virupakshappa said, “Congress removed teeth of Lokayukta and formed Anti Corruption Bureau (ACB). Our Govt controlled ACB and restarted Lokayukta. Same Lokayukta filed disproportionate assets case against Madal Virupakshappa and his son.”
“In history, no such case was filed against a ruling party MLA. Now Lokayukta has taken up the case and an investigation going on. The Court granted him bail, not Congress or BJP,” he said.
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On Tuesday, BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was granted interim anticipatory bail by Karnataka High Court in connection with a bribery case.
The issue started after Madal's son Prashanth was caught red-handed accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh to award a contract for providing raw materials for making Mysore Sandal soaps. Prashanth Madal was the chief accountant at Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board. A search at the residence of Prashanth made Lokayukta unearth over Rs 6 crore of unaccounted cash.
Later, Lok Ayukta slapped a case against MLA Madal Virupakshappa and his son. After the allegation, Madal Virupakshappa resigned as the chairman of the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).