Granted bail, Karnataka MLA Virupakshappa says even ‘common man has Rs 4-5 cr at home’ in his constituency

Since Channagiri is the land of areca nut, “Rs 4-5 crore can be found even at the house of a common man. As we have a lot of businesses, Rs 6 crore is not a big deal for us. I will submit all the relevant documents to the Lokayukta,” the BJP legislator said.

Virupakshappa said he would appear before investigating officials on Wednesday.

Earlier, granting him anticipatory bail, the court directed the MLA to surrender before Lokayukta officials within 48 hours.

Virupakshappa said he was named in the case only because he was chairman of the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL). “To be frank, I have not received any notice from the Lokayukta,” he said.

In the court of Justice K Natarajan, Virupakshappa’s counsel argued that there was no direct evidence linking him to the bribe taken by his son Prashanth Madal, who was the CFO of the Bengaluru Water Supply and Sewerage Board.

The counsel also said the only allegation against Virupakshappa, who resigned as KSDL chairman after Prashanth’s arrest, was that he had demanded a bribe for awarding a tender. It was also argued that Virupakshappa had nothing to do with the tender-accepting authority’s decision and that as an MLA with “deep roots” in society, he would not flee from justice.

The court said Virupakshappa would be granted bail on a surety of Rs 5 lakh. He is barred from entering the KSDL premises without clearance from the court or the government. The matter will be heard further on March 17.

A businessman, Shreyas Kashyap of Chemixil Corporation, lodged a complaint that a Rs 81 lakh bribe was demanded of him with regard to a tender worth Rs 4.8 crore.

Virupakshappa had been on the run since his resignation from KSDL on March 3, the day after Prashanth was arrested.

The delay in Virupakshappa’s arrest prompted the Opposition Congress to accuse the BJP government of protecting the MLA. The Youth Congress ran a campaign by pasting “missing” posters for the MLA in Bengaluru and Channagiri.