In the wake of major corruption allegations against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Madal Virupakshappa, the Congress in Karnataka has put up ‘missing’ posters for the MLA across Bengaluru. According to the posters, Virupakshappa was last seen in the Chief Minister’s Office on March 4. “Please help us find the A1 accused of the Lokayukta investigation — Incompetent 40% Sarkar," the poster read. Virupakshappa is the prime accused in a bribery case involving his son Prashant Madal and the police are searching for him.
According to the Lokayukta, Prashant — who works as a chief accountant with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) — was caught taking a Rs 40 lakh bribe at his father’s office. Virupakshappa, who is the Channagiri MLA, formerly served as the Chairman of KSDL. After the Lokayukta's probe, he resigned from his position. His son Prashant reportedly accepted the bribe for the allocation of a tender for procurement of raw materials for KSDL. Prashanth has been arrested and is currently in judicial custody. Authorities have seized Rs 8 crore from residences and offices connected to Prashant. On Monday, March 6, Virupakshappa moved the Karnataka High Court seeking pre-arrest bail.
Following this case, the Congress has intensified its campaign against the BJP in Karnataka by accusing the administration of corruption. On March 9, the Congress called for a state-wide bandh to protest the BJP government’s “rampant corruption”. Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah and state Congress president DK Shivakumar said that the Lokayukta case had proved their corruption allegations against the ruling party. Meanwhile, the BJP responded that the Lokayukta began to operate again under their regime, while the Congress had allegedly shut it down to hide their scams.
