BJP MLA's son caught taking Rs 40 lakh bribe

Lokayukta cops on Thursday arrested a BJP MLA's son for taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh over a government contract.

Prashanth Madal, a chief accountant in the BWSSB, was "caught red-handed" taking the bribe on behalf of his father Madal Virupakshappa, who represents the Channagiri assembly constituency.

Lokayukta police said they seized a total of Rs 2.2 crore in cash from Prashanth. Both the MLA and his son have been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Lokayukta sources said Rs 40 lakh was the 30% commission for a contract for supplying raw materials to Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, of which Virupakshappa is the chairman.

Lokayukta Superintendent of Police (Bengaluru) Ashok K V and his team laid a trap against the MLA's son while investigating a complaint filed by Shreyas Kashyap, who runs a private company that supplies raw materials. The trap was laid after a week's planning.

Prashanth was caught at M Studio, Crescent Road, around 6.45 pm.

Seeing the cops, Prashanth popped a chit and tried to chew it down. But the cops retrieved the half-chewed chit that contained details of all the money he had collected from different people and companies.

At the same time, two representatives of a Chamarajpet-based private firm named Omega arrived to pay him Rs 90 lakh. Police arrested both of them and seized that money, too, a senior officer told DH.

In addition, Lokayukta police seized Rs 72 lakh that Prashanth allegedly received from another firm. In all, cops seized Rs 2.2 crore from his office, the officer added.

According to Lokayukta police, Prashanth demanded a 40% commission for releasing the purchase order. This was bargained down to 30%, which worked out to Rs 81 lakh. Kashyap was to pay 50% (Rs 40 lakh as the first instalment). Besides Kashyap's firm, a company of his partner Murthy also bid for the contract.

This is the first big catch after Lokayukta's powers were restored last year.