Lokayukta team hunts for BJP MLA

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: In the latest development, Karnataka Lokayukta has formed seven teams headed by Deputy Superintendents to arrest BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa in an alleged bribery case. The said MLA still remains at large even three days after his son, Prashanth Kumar MV, was caught accepting a bribe for a government contract in the city.

Sources said that the teams have already begun tracking the Channagiri legislator and search operations are underway across the state. Police sources said that the teams have launched a hunt in various locations of Bengaluru and Davangere cities. At the same time, they are likely to issue the MLA a notice to appear before the Lokayukta police.

The notice will be sent to the accused BJP MLA's residences in Bengaluru, Davanagere, the legislature's house and the office of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL). MLA Virupakshappa was the Chairman of KSDL and he resigned from the post after the surfacing of the alleged bribery case.

Lokayukta police seized more than Rs 8 crore in cash belonging to Kumar, including Rs 6.1 crore from his residence in Bengaluru on Friday and Rs 2.02 crore from his private office on Thursday. The Lokayukta sleuths are further probing the source of the money seized from his residence and office