Karnataka BJP MLA’s son caught taking bribe of Rs 40 lakh; Rs 6 crore found from home

Cash worth about Rs 6 crore was found after searches at the home of a bureaucrat son of a Karnataka BJP MLA caught accepting a bribe a day ago, officials said on Friday, in a huge embarrassment for the party trying to woo voters for elections later this year.The anti-corruption wing of the Lokayukta - the state's ombudsman - raided the home of BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa's son Prashanth Madal and found the huge pile of cash. The search went on till late in the night.

Madal Virupakshappa, the MLA from Channagiri in the Davanagere district, is the chairman of the state-owned Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), which makes the famous Mysore Sandal Soap. His son is the chief accountant at Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) The Lokayukta found Rs 6 crore at the BJP MLA’s residence. The anti-corruption watchdog is likely to summon the MLA too for questioning.

Apart from 40 lakh bribe, the Lokayukta also found Rs 1.7 crore in Prashanth Madal’s office. Sitting BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa's son Prashanth Madal was caught by the Lokayukta officials when he was accepting the bribe at his office. Madal Virupakshappa is the chairman of Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Limited.According to Lokayukta officials, a complaint was registered by a man against Prashanth on Thursday morning accusing him of taking bribes.Accordingly, the Lokayukta officials laid a trap and caught Prashanth red-handed when he was accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh.An official from Lokayukta said, "We conducted searches at his office and found Rs 1.7 crore. We suspect Prashanth was receiving bribes on behalf of his father. We are investigating the source of the money we found at his office.