BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa arrested in bribery case after hot chase

KV Ashok, Lokayukta SP confirmed to Indian Express that Virupakshappa was arrested near Nelamangala and further probe will be carried out.

A senior police officer at Lokayukta said that Virupakshappa was attending a public event in his constituency-Channagiri when the high court dismissal of bail application was announced. “But then, we were waiting near his residence to arrest him but he did not turn up. As we had kept an eye on his movements, we came to know that he was traveling towards Bengaluru. There was a hot chase and a team was also waiting in Tumakuru to intercept his vehicle but it failed. Later, we intercepted his vehicle near Nelamangala toll and arrested him,” the officer added.

The BJP MLA, who is the prime accused in the case, was earlier granted pre-arrest bail by the high court on a Rs 5 lakh personal bond. Meanwhile, his son Prashanth was arrested in the case on March 2. Four more arrests have been made by the Lokayukta police in the case since then and all are presently in judicial custody.

The 72-year-old two-time BJP MLA is from Channagiri in Davanagere district and belongs to the Sadar Lingayat community, which is a Lingayat subsect. He is a close aide of former chief minister and BJP parliamentary board member B S Yediyurappa.