BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa Moves Karnataka High Court Seeking Anticipatory Bail In Bribery Case

A single judge bench of Justice K Natarajan is likely to hear the legislator's plea on Tuesday.

A complaint was reportedly lodged before the Lokayuktha Police alleging that Virupakshappa demanded illegal gratification in order to process certain tender in Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd, of which Virupakshappa was the Chairman.

The plea filed through advocates Sandeep Patil and Swamini G.Mohanambal states that there is no pivotal role of the petitioner either in allotting the tender or issuance of the purchase order.

“The FIR has been registered for offences under section 7(a) & (b), 7(A) 8, 9 & 10 of Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against the petitioner. None of the ingredients so as to make out the said offences are present in the complaint and as such the entire exercise of filing the complaint and registration of FIR are wholly illegal and malafide, done with the intention of harassing the petitioner,” the application states.

Pre-trap proceedings and trap proceedings were conducted against Virupakshappa's son, apart from others, who was caught red-handed accepting a graft of Rs 40 lakh. Later, it is claimed that over Rs eight crore was recovered by Lokayukta from the MLA's son V Prashanth Madal last week.

The plea says “In the instant case, nowhere in the complaint and FIR, there is any specific allegation against the petitioner to have taken the alleged illegal gratification. Mere recovery of money from Accused No.2 bereft of any material showing illegal or corrupt means or abuse of official function, would not be sufficient cause to register and maintain proceedings under the alleged offences of PC Act, 1988. Hence Petitioner is liable to be released on anticipatory bail.”

Further, it is submitted that petitioner is a person of good repute, has deep roots in the society therefore there can be no apprehension of his fleeing from justice.

Case Title: K. Madal Virupakshappa And State of Karnataka

Case No: Criminal Petition No 1976/2023