Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday noon granted conditional anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa.
His son Madal Prashanth was arrested by the Lokayukta Police for taking a bribe of Rs. 40 lakh from a businessman to clear a contract to supply raw materials to the State-run Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd. (KSDL) of which BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was the Chairman.
In an alleged cash-for-contract scandal, over Rs. 8 crore was recovered by Lokayukta from the MLA’s son last week. Lokayukta then registered an FIR in the bribery case and named Virupakshappa as the number one accused.
The BJP MLA in his anticipatory bail plea filed following the arrest of his son — who is accused number 2 — has claimed that the Police have wrongly named him in the bribery case and that no criminal culpability can be attached to him for the award of tenders as KSDL Chairman.
Justice K. Natarajan told the MLA to surrender before the Investigation Officer within 48 hours after receipt of the anticipatory order. The Judge also told him not to tamper with evidence and not to enter the office of KSDL.
The absconding MLA had also moved a City Civil Court in Bengaluru to obtain a temporary injunction against 46 media outlets over ‘defamatory reporting’ in the bribery case. The Civil Court yesterday allowed the plea for the temporary injunction.
“The defendants are hereby temporarily restrained from airing or broadcasting or publishing or expressing any defamatory opinion against the plaintiffs in the news channels, public media and also conducting any panel discussions in any manner, till the next date of hearing,” the Court said while posting the matter for hearing on Mar. 20.
This post was published on March 7, 2023 7:57 pm