Bribery case: BJP MLA resigns from Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd; CM promises probe

BENGALURU,MAR 3: BJP MLA K Madal Virupakshappa resigned from the post of Chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, a state-government-owned company after his son Prashanth was arrested by the Lokayukta official on Thursday night.

As the raids put the BJP government in a tight spot ahead of the assembly polls, the MLA from the Channagiri constituency in Davanagere district termed the Lokayukta action as a conspiracy against his family.

Prashanth was arrested while he was allegedly accepting Rs 40 lakh bribe to allot raw material procurement tender, on behalf of his father. During raids on his office and residence in Bengaluru, the officials found unaccounted cash to the tune of around Rs 6 crores.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said an impartial probe will be conducted and action will be taken against those who committed a mistake.

Bommai mentioned that the incumbent government re-established the Lokayukta to check corruption. “In the absence of an anti-corruption institution, many incidents had taken place during the Congress regime and they were hushed up,” he said.

Karnataka Lokayukta traps BJP MLA’s son taking Rs 40 lakh bribe

The CM further added that the Lokayukta is an autonomous institution. “Let there be an impartial probe and those who have committed a mistake should be punished,” he said.

Responding to Congress’s allegations, Bommai mentioned how many Congress MLAs and Ministers faced several charges. He also said that Congress weakened the Lokayukta by creating Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB). “The Congress party cannot claim itself as the clean party as cases were registered against the Congress ministers in the past,” said Bommai.

-The New Indian Express