Who is Karnataka BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa & His Son Who ‘Accepted’ Rs 40L Bribe

Striking images of officials counting piles of cash have spelt trouble for the BJP in Karnataka ahead of assembly elections in the state. Lokayukta officials on Thursday arrested BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s son Prashanth Kumar for accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. What does the arrest mean for the party and who is Madal Virupakshappa and his son? Here is what we know.

BJP Channagiri MLA Madal Virupakshapp

Virupakshappa, a two-time MLA, began his political career with the Congress.

He had joined the BJP ahead of the 2004 Assembly polls, but it wasn’t until 2008 that he emerged victorious for the first time for the BJP.

Virupakshappa later followed BS Yediyurappa and joined his Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) party. After failing to secure a seat in the 2014 polls, he made a comeback in the BJP with Yediyurappa. He won the Channagiri seat in 2018 on a BJP ticket.

Virupakshappa reportedly has three sons: Madal Mallikarjun, Prashanth Madal and Raju Madal

After battling heart-related disorders, Virupakshappa had decided to field his son Madal Mallikarjun from the constituency as a BJP nominee in the upcoming Assembly polls. Mallikarjun is also a member of the Davangere University Syndicate. He has reportedly addressed public grievances in the constituency on behalf of his father and has identified himself as the successor of his father.

Virupakshappa is also the chairman of the state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which manufactures the famous soap brand ‘Mysore Sandal Soap’.

Following the arrest of his son Prashanth, he resigned from the post and alleged that there was a conspiracy being hatched against him and his family

In the FIR that has been registered, Virupakshappa is accused number one and his son is the second accused.

Prashanth Kumar Caught ‘Red Handed

Kumar worked as the Chief Accountant of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). Prashanth Kumar, a 2008 batch Karnataka Administrative Services officer, was reportedly caught accepting a bribe from a contractor for awarding a deal to purchase raw materials required to manufacture soap and other detergents.

At least Rs 8 crore was recovered from Kumar’s residence during raids by Lokayukta officials.

Prashanth had reportedly demanded a Rs 80 lakh bribe in connection with a tender process and was caught while accepting Rs 40 lakh at his office. Prashanth was allegedly receiving the ‘first installment’ of the bribe on behalf of his father, according to Lokayukta sources, reports PTI.

Karnataka Lokayukta Justice (Retd) B S Patil said today Rs 2.02 crore was recovered from the KSDL office during the search and Rs 6.1 crore from Prashanth’s house, totally.

Political Subtex

The arrest comes at a time when the BJP and the Congress battle it out ahead of elections in the state likely in the next few months.

The arrest gave the Congress ammo to attack the saffron party over mounting allegations of corruption in the state. AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday reiterated Congress’ “40 per cent commission government” allegations and said the arrest was proof of it

Addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters here, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said the BJP’s stink of corruption has not even spared the ‘Mysore sandal’ soap.

The Congress said it would lay siege to the chief minister’s residence on Race Course Road in Bengaluru on Saturday demanding that Basavaraj Bommai quit his post taking moral responsibility

CM Bommai meanwhile assured that no one would be spared and used the opportunity to and said the trap was proof that the Lokayukta has been “revived” to check corruption unlike the previous Congress regime which created a separate anti-corruption bureau apart from the Lokayukta institution to cover up their wrong deeds.

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