KSDL bribery case: Youth Congress pastes Karnataka BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s ‘missing’ posters

Virupakshappa went missing shortly after he submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai as chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL) on March 3. The Lokayukta police have issued a lookout notice against the MLA and formed teams to nab him. The MLA has moved the court seeking anticipatory bail.

The satirical posters were pasted in parts of Bengaluru and his home constituency of Channagiri in the Davanagere district. The posters had the MLA’s ‘last seen’ location identified as ‘Chief Ministers’ Office’. It had details such as his height – 5 feet nine inches; age – 72; complexion – wheatish, and last seen – March 4.

The MLA was booked in a corruption case by the Lokayukta police last week, after his son Prashanth Madal was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 41 lakh on behalf of his father on March 2. The bribe was to secure a tender to supply raw materials to KSDL.

The case has provided ammunition for Congress to attack the BJP over ‘rampant corruption’ in the state. Opposition Leader Siddaramaiah Monday alleged that the government was protecting the legislator, due to which the police were yet to find the prime accused.

There were widespread allegations that contractors were being forced to pay a 40 per cent commission to officials in the BJP government, cutting across departments, for projects.