BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa.
Credit: PTI Photo
Bengaluru: The Aam Aadmi Party's state unit on Friday demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah immediately refer the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Factory bribery case to the Lokayukta to re-investigate former BJP MLA K Madal Virupakshappa.
The demand came two days after the Karnataka High Court quashed a case against Virupakshappa.
The party's state media coordinator Jagadish V Saddam said the Lokayukta raid at Virupakshappa's office when he was an MLA and president of the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Factory (KSDL), attracted the attention of the entire country. This incident took place before the Karnataka assembly elections. It was the main reason for BJP's crushing defeat in the state.
"Shreyas Kashyap had complained to the Lokayukta that Madal Virupakshappa had asked for a bribe to sell raw materials related to perfumes. Madal's son and KAS officer Prashant Madal, was caught by the Lokayukta police while accepting a bribe on behalf of his father. Prashant Madal was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. He was arrested," he said in a statement.
After that, even during Lokayukta raid on Madal Virupakshappa's house, Rs eight crore were found but he gave the same account that it was money from selling arecanut.
"Didn't the BJP government at least know that the case should be investigated after obtaining the permission of the prosecution? Why did Lokayukta file an FIR without the permission of the prosecution? The fact that such a big case has been dismissed is a reflection of the bad system," he said.