Union Minister Prahlad Joshi's Kin Approach Karnataka HC For Quashing Case Over Allegations Of Promising Poll Ticket In Exchange For ₹2.5 Crores

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's brother Gopal Joshi, and nephew Ajay Joshi who were arrested in a cheating case on Thursday, approached the Karnataka High Court seeking to quash the FIR registered against them.

Senior Advocate D R Ravishankar appearing for the petitioner contended that the issue pertains to a purely financial transaction and no case is made out for the offence charged.

Joshi along with his son and two others have been arrested by the police, on a complaint filed by Sunitha Chavan, wife of former JD(S) MLA Devanand Chavan. It is alleged that the accused cheated her of Rs 2.5 crore by promising a BJP ticket to her husband for the Bijapur Lok Sabha constituency.

Ravishankar submitted that the allegation as per the complaint pertains to incidents that took place between March and August. The complaint was filed on October 17 and police arrested me the next day.

Additional Special Public Prosecutor B N Jagadeesha informed the court that they had used the office of the Union Minister when he was not in office, and they (accused) had called these people (complainant) to his chamber. "He has acted as if the Union Minister has given him consent and then he will secure the seat.”

A single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna questioned the petitioner as to why he used the office of the Union Minister and took them to the office of the Union Minister. The counsel said, “The transaction did not happen in the office, it has happened in Bengaluru.”

Following this the court directed the prosecution to secure the records and place them before the court on the next date and posted the matter for further hearing on Monday.

Joshi has been charged for offences under sections 126(2), (wrongful restraint) 115(2) and 118(1) (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means) 118(1), 316(2), (criminal breach of trust) 318(4), (cheating) 61, (criminal conspiracy) 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and sections 3(1)(r), (s) (insult and abuses public view) and 3(2)(v-a) (specified offences in the schedule) of the Schedule Caste and Schedule Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The plea seeks to quash the FIR in its entirety and by way of interim order stay all further and consequential proceedings in the FIR.