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Journalism of Courage
Karnataka BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa who was arrested in a bribery case on Monday is a close aide of former Chief Minister and Lingayat strongman B S Yediyurappa and one of the tallest leaders from Davangere district.
The MLA’s arrest came weeks after he went on the run as corruption allegations surfaced against him and his son. Virupakshappa got anticipatory bail from the Karnataka High Court but the Lokayukta Police arrested him on Monday from his constituency Channagari in Davanagere after the court rejected his bail application. On Sunday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, during a visit to the state, had called on the electorate to support the BJP saying only a party of patriots could put an end to corruption.
On the evening of March 2, the Lokayukta allegedly caught Virupakshappa’s son V Prakash Madal accepting a bribe to get a tender from the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL). Prakash was working as a chief accountant with the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) while the MLA is the chairperson of the state public sector unit. Virupakshappa subsequently resigned from the KSDL and went on the run.
The MLA resurfaced in Channagari days later and after he received anticipatory bail, his supporters organised a procession in the constituency and some even poured milk on his photograph in a village temple in Davanagere. The episode embarrassed the BJP-led government that has been battling corruption allegations. The arrest is likely to give the Opposition more ammo with which to attack the ruling party ahead of the elections.
The 72-year-old Virupakshappa is a two-time legislator from Channagiri and one of the most well-known faces in the district. He belongs to the Sadar Lingayat community, which is a Lingayat subsect. He started his political career in the Congress and later joined the BJP, winning his first election in 2008.
When Yedyiurappa severed ties with the BJP and floated the Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) in 2012, Virupakshappa followed him and pledged his loyalty to the veteran BJP leader. He lost the Assembly election that year to Congress’s Vadnal Rajanna.
After Yediyurappa returned to the BJP in 2014, Virupakshappa followed. In 2018, Virupakshappa managed to win from Channagiri but was not given a Cabinet berth. Two years later, during Yedyiurappa’s tenure as CM, he was appointed the chairperson of KSDL.
According to BJP insiders, Virupakshappa’s other son Mallikarjun Madal harbours political ambitions and is attempting to bag a BJP ticket.
The FIR leading to Prashant’s arrest was filed by an individual who was allegedly asked to cough up a bribe. According to officials, Prashant was caught accepting the bribe in his father’s office at Crescent Road in Bengaluru. Officials said they seized Rs 2.02 crore in cash from there. A follow-up raid at the residence of Prashant resulted in the seizure of Rs 6.1 crore of unaccounted cash, said Lokayukta officials.
In the FIR, the police named Virupakshappa as the main accused and Prashant as the second accused. Surendra, an accountant at Prashant’s office; Siddesh, a relative of Prashant; and Karnataka Aromas company field workers Albert Nicola and Gangadhar were also named.
