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IT, ED intimated about the raid against Karnataka BJP MLA’s son
Hitting out at Siddaramaiah, chief minister Bommai said there were 59 corruption cases, which could not be investigated because he had weakened the Lokayukta institution by bifurcating it and creating an anti-corruption bureau
Bengaluru: A day after Karnataka Lokayukta booked BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa on charges of corruption and arrested his son Prashanth Kumar while taking bribe, the matter has been brought to the notice of the Enforcement Directorate and the income tax department, said officials in the know of the development, even as the Congress held a protest over the issue.
On Thursday, Lokayukta officials arrested Prashanth Madal who was caught taking bribe in his father’s office. In the raids that followed, they recovered ₹6.1 crore in cash from his Sanjaynagar residence and ₹2.2 crore from his office. According to Lokayukta BS Patil, a former Karnataka high court judge, the bribe was intended for the MLA who is also the chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (K&SDL).
“We are currently in the process of compiling the evidence collected during the raids. Even though we raided him based on one complaint, during the raid we caught two more people offering a bribe. This has to be probed further. Also, a notice will be issued to the MLA to appear before us for questioning,” said a senior officer.
Meanwhile, Congress leaders, including Opposition leader Siddaramaiah, were detained while attempting to lay siege to chief minister Basavaraj Bommai’s residence in Bengaluru on Saturday. The Congress demanded the resignation of Bommai following the arrest of government officer Prashanth Kumar while accepting a bribe of ₹40 lakh on behalf of his father.
Prior to the march to the CM’s house, former CM Siddaramaiah tore into the ruling BJP at a public meeting. “It is not enough that you arrested Prashanth Kumar. If they have little shame, you should arrest the MLA Virupakshappa immediately. Basavaraj Bommai should resign taking moral responsibility,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Your government is plundering the state. Your ministers, chief minister and the chairmen of various boards and corporations have been directed to collect a definite amount. According to me, BJP is set to spend ₹100 crore in each constituency,” Siddaramaiah charged.
Alleging that in the by-elections, the BJP had spent ₹40 crore to ₹50 crore, the former CM said the BJP wants to win the election through money power. He appealed to the people to teach the BJP a lesson in the next election.
After the public meeting, a large number of Congress workers led by Siddaramaiah, Congress national general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala, Congress state president D K Shivakumar, former ministers Priyank Kharge and Krishna Byregowda took out the march to lay siege to the chief minister’s house. They were later detained on the way by the police.
Surjewala said, “Wherever CM Bommai visits, he is welcomed with posters branding him as 40% commission CM. The people of the state understand commission allegations.”
Bommai dismissed the Congress the demand for his resignation, saying that the opposition party is left with no other job. Hitting out at Siddaramaiah, he said there were 59 corruption cases, which could not be investigated because he had weakened the Lokayukta institution by bifurcating it and creating an anti-corruption bureau.
He told reporters that his government has given independence to the Lokayukta which made the impartial probe possible. “The opposition has no other job other than seeking my resignation. I would like to ask Siddaramaiah whether he had resigned as chief minister when ₹2 lakh was found from a minister’s house,” Bommai said.
He also said that Siddaramaiah would have been arrested had there been a strong Lokayukta in the state. “Siddaramaiah had weakened the Lokayukta institution to cover up such cases. Today the impartial probe is taking place due to a strong Lokayukta,” Bommai said.
(With PTI inputs)
