Around Rs 6 crore in cash has been recovered after searches at the house of a bureaucrat’s son of a Karnataka BJP MLA, who was caught taking a bribe a day earlier, officials said on Friday. Lokayukta’s anti-corruption wing raided the house of BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s son Prashant Madal and found a huge cache of cash.
Madal Virupakshappa is the chairman of the state-owned Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited (KSDL). It manufactures the famous Mysore Sandal soap. His son is the chief accountant in the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB).
Prashant Kumar, the son of BJP MLA M. Virupakshappa, was apprehended by Lokayukta officials on Thursday while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh at his father’s office in the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited (KSDL) located in Bengaluru, according to Lokayukta sources. Prashant had allegedly demanded a bribe of Rs 80 lakh, as per the Lokayukta police. Virupakshappa, Prashant’s father, holds the position of KSDL chairman and is the MLA from Channagiri in Karnataka’s Davangere district.
According to sources, Prashant was found to have three bags of cash in his possession. He was caught accepting kickbacks from a contractor to procure raw materials for manufacturing soaps and other detergents, despite being a 2008-batch Karnataka Administrative Service officer.
Allegedly, he had demanded Rs 80 lakh from the contractor, who reported the incident to Lokayukta officials a week ago, prompting them to set up a plan to apprehend Prashant in the act. A senior Lokayukta official stated, “The amount was received on behalf of KSDL chairman Virupakshappa for the purchase of raw materials. The accused father and son are the chairman of KSDL and the recipients of the money.”