Karnataka High Court dismisses anticipatory bail plea of BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa in corruption case

The Karnataka High Court on Monday dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Madal Virupakshappa in a corruption case [K Madal Virupakshappa v State]..Single-judge Justice K Natarajan dismissed the plea today after he had reserved the matter on March 17.Earlier, Virupakshappa had been granted interim anticipatory bail by the High Court on March 7 subject to him furnishing personal bail bond of ₹5 lakh.While dismissing the plea, Justice Natarajan observed that, custodial interrogation of Madal is very much necessary for the Lokayukta police."Though this Court granted the interim anticipatory bail until disposal of the case, because there was no material found in FIR at that time, but now, there is sufficient evidence to show the involvement of the petitioner in the commission of offence as per the case diary of the police and statement of Mohan under Section 164 of Cr.P.C. Therefore, the custody of the petitioner is imminent for the Lokayukta police to interrogate him in the matter," the Court noted..Therefore, the Court cancelled Madal's interim bail granted on March 7 and dismissed the anticipatory bail plea."The interim anticipatory bail granted by this Court on 07.03.2023 is hereby cancelled. Accordingly, this petition for anticipatory bail filed under Section 438 of CrPC, by the petitioner-accused No.1 is hereby dismissed," the Court said. .Virupakshappa moved the High Court in a case filed against him by the Lokayukta police.On March 4, a special court in Bengaluru had remanded five people, including Prashanth Madal who is Virupakshappa's son, to fourteen days of judicial custody for accepting a bribe.Prashanth, who is the Joint Controller of the State Accounts Department, was occupying post of Chief Accountant in the Bengaluru Jal Board.He was allegedly caught by the Lokayukta Police taking a bribe of ₹40 lakh to award a contract to supply chemicals to the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Factory (KSDL)..The complaint was filed by one Shreyas Kashyap, who owns a partnership company called Chemicals Corporation in Bengaluru, after having successfully participated in the tender process in January 2023 to supply chemical oil to KSDL.Kashyap complained to the Lokayukta Police that the MLA and his son had demanded a bribe of ₹81 lakh to release the mandate and money.A case was registered against Prashanth and Virupakshappa under Section 7(a) and 7(b) of the Prevention of Corruption Act..The MLA is the first accused while son is the second accused in the case.Later, Prashanth and four others were arrested on bribery charges.All of them were produced before Judge B Jayanthakumar and sent to judicial custody on March 2.Virupakshappa then moved the High Court for anticipatory bail.Pertinently, a civil court in Bengaluru had, earlier this month, temporarily restrained 45 media organisations from broadcasting defamatory material against Virupakshappa and Prashanth Kumar MV in relation to the bribery allegations..[Read Order]