BENGALURU: The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted ad-interim anticipatory bail to Channagiri BJP MLA K Madal Virupakshappa. The Lokayukta police had registered a First Information Report (FIR) in a corruption case, in which the MLA is the prime accused. However, after the case was registered, his whereabouts remained unknown.
Justice K Natarajan granted the interim anticipatory bail, with the conditions that he shall surrender before the investigating office within 48 hours of the receipt of the copy of the order and he shall be released on a bail bond of Rs 5 lakh if arrested.
The court said Virupakshappa’s interim anticipatory bail will be in force till the final disposal of the main petition and he shall cooperate with the investigation and shall not enter the office of the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).
Virupakshappa resigned as chairman of KSDL and absconded after his son Prashanth Madal, who is the chief accounts officer at BWSSB, was caught red-handed while allegedly accepting a Rs 40 lakh bribe from an agency to favour a tender to supply chemical oil to KSDL.
Granting time to the Lokayukta police to submit the investigation report and their counsel to file the statement of objections, the hearing was adjourned to March 17, 2023.
The Lokayukta counsel argued that the bribe was paid as there was a demand by the petitioner and the investigating agency is yet to collect evidence. Granting interim anticipatory bail is equal to the main prayer of anticipatory bail and hence they require time to file a statement of objections, he argued while objecting to the anticipatory bail plea.
The counsel for the petitioner argued that except for naming the petitioner in the FIR, there is no demand for bribe and acceptance from the petitioner. The Lokayukta police registered an FIR against Virupakshappa on March 2, 2023 under the provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act.
Advocates association expresses concern
Members of the Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru, wrote to Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud on Tuesday, expressing a serious concern over granting interim anticipatory bail to Madal Virupakshappa.