Tag: Lokayukta

Full bench of Kerala Lokayukta to look into case of CMDRF funds ‘misuse’ by CM

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Thiruvananthapuram: After facing flak on the decision by its two-member bench to refer the verdict in a case of alleged misuse of Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to a larger bench, there were indications on Monday that the full bench (three members) of the Kerala Lok Ayukta will start proceedings from April 12.
The Congress and the BJP on Friday questioned the credibility of the Kerala Lokayukta, which referred the case to a larger bench.
It was after an year that the two-member bench of the Lokayukta, that had completed all its hearings in the case, gave its verdict on last Friday and this long delay came under fire.

It was also noted that had the petitioner not approached the Kerala High Court seeking its intervention, maybe the verdict could have been even more delayed.
Now all eyes are on April 12 and according to sources in the know of things, the full bench is likely to hear the case from the start and will also look into the issue if the Lokayukta is competent enough to take up the case involving a decision of the state cabinet.
Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan has already pointed out that the decision to refer to the full bench is nothing but questioning the credibility of the Lokayukta institution as the Lokayukta in 2019 had made it clear that the petition is valid and now again it is going to be sent to a full bench. “It is strange,” he said.
Public activist R.S. Sasikumar had filed the case in 2018, alleging misuse of the funds in the CMDRF.
He had alleged that the money was given to those who were not eligible for the relief, including the family of a deceased CPI-M legislator, the family of a top leader from a Left ally who passed away, and also to a Kerala Police officer who died when his vehicle met with an accident while accompanying then top CPI-M leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.

The plea to the anti-corruption ombudsman was filed by Sasikumar in September 2018 and the hearing ended on March 18, 2022. Since then till last Friday, the verdict was kept pending.
All this comes at a time when Governor Arif Mohammed Khan continues to sit on the Bill that tweaked the powers of the Kerala Lokayukta.
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#Full #bench #Kerala #Lokayukta #case #CMDRF #funds #misuse
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 3, 2023
Karnataka bribe case: SC seeks BJP MLA’s response on Lokayukta plea

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday sought the reply from BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa on a plea of the Karnataka Lokayukta challenging anticipatory bail granted to him by the high court. The MLA is accused in the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents (KSDL) contract scam.
A bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Sudhanshu Dhulia issued the notice to the BJP legislator. On March 14, the apex court had agreed to take up the Lokayukta’s plea against the Karnataka High Court order in the case.
Earlier this month, the Lokayukta police arrested BJP MLA’s son Prashanth Madal, who is the chief accounts officer of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, while allegedly receiving a bribe of Rs 40 lakh on behalf of his father at the KSDL office. Virupakashappa resigned as the chairperson of KSDL following his son’s arrest.
The high court granted the anticipatory bail to the MLA after hearing his petition and directed him to appear before the investigating officer in the case within 48 hours of receiving the order copy. The high court also directed Virupakshappa not to tamper with the evidence while on bail.
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#Karnataka #bribe #case #seeks #BJP #MLAs #response #Lokayukta #plea
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 27, 2023
Karnataka bribe case: Lokayukta to file another case against accused BJP MLA

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Bengaluru: The Lokayukta sleuths are preparing to file another case against BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, accused in a bribe for tender case, regarding the accumulation of disproportionate wealth, sources said on Thursday.
Sources said that the Lokayukta authorities are upset over the fact that the prime accused in the case, Madal Virupakshappa has obtained bail, whereas the second accused in the case, his son, Prashath Madal has been jailed.
The Lokayukta has already approached the Supreme Court, questioning the granting of bail to the BJP MLA. The Supreme Court on other hand refused to hear the plea. The Advocates Association has also written to the Chief Justice of India raising concern about posting of the matter of bail of BJP MLA.
The association has sought the attention of the CJI that justice should be the same for an ordinary man and VIP.
Sources explain that the Lokayukta sleuths have started gathering inputs on assets of BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa in Davanagere district, across the state and other parts of the country. After getting evidence regarding disproportionate wealth, the sleuths will lodge another complaint against him, sources confirmed.
Prashath Madal, a government officer and son of the BJP MLA was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 40 lakh bribe at his office. Later, the authorities recovered more than Rs 8 crore from the residences. It was alleged that Prashath was receiving bribes for allocation of tender towards the procurement of raw materials for the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).
BJP MLA was the chairman of KSDL and following the trap, he was asked to tender resignation for his post.

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#Karnataka #bribe #case #Lokayukta #file #case #accused #BJP #MLA
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 16, 2023
Karnataka bribe case: Lokayukta likely to challenge bail granted to accused BJP MLA

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Lokayukta police are contemplating to challenge the granting of bail to BJP MLA Virupakshappa Madal in the Supreme Court in connection with the alleged bribe for tender scam, sources stated on Thursday.
The sources also revealed that the investigating officers have held meetings with the Lokayukta Justice B.S. Patil in this regard has already begun the preparations. The matter is coming before the Karnataka High Court on March 17 and Lokayukta is also preparing to submit documents, evidence and arguments strongly before the court to dismiss the bail.
Accused BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa will have to appear before the Lokayukta officers on Thursday as the deadline of 48 hours given by the court will get over. Sources said that the accused MLA has reached Bengaluru from his home town to appear for questioning.
The MLA has also brought relevant documents for Rs 6.1 crore cash which was found at his residence during the Lokayukta raids.
His son, Prashath Madal was caught red-handed while allegedly receiving Rs 40 lakh bribe towards the allotment of procurement of raw material to the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), a public sector unit. Accused MLA was the Chairman of the KSDL and his son was allegedly receiving bribes on behalf of his father.
The authorities had seized Rs 8.12 crore, 1.6 kg gold from the residences of accused BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa and his son Prashanth Madal, who was arrested.
Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to Madal Virupakshappa. The single bench division court headed by Justice K. Natarajan after granting interim anticipatory bail, directed the accused MLA to appear before the investigation officer within 48 hours of the order.
Meanwhile, the Advocates’ Association, Bengaluru objected to the immediate posting of the interim anticipatory bail application of Madal Virupakshappa and expressed serious concern.

In a letter to Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, the Advocates’ Association President Vivek Subba Reddy stated that the usual practice in the High Court of Karnataka is that new matters like anticipatory bail take several days and weeks for posting.
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#Karnataka #bribe #case #Lokayukta #challenge #bail #granted #accused #BJP #MLA
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 9, 2023
Karnataka bribe case: Lokayukta to issue lookout notice against accused BJP MLA

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Lokayukta is set to to issue a lookout notice against accused BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who is absconding after his government official son was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 40 lakh as bribe, sources said on Monday.
According to sources in Lokayukta, they have learnt that Virupakshappa is planning to escape to a foreign country to prevent his arrest. The lookout notice will be sent to all airports in the country.
Sources also said that at this juncture, when the elections are nearing in Karnataka, the arrest of a BJP MLA will be an embarrassment for the party.
The accused MLA, who has gone absconding after the arrest of his son Prashanth Madal, is trying to obtain anticipatory bail from the court.
Once the lookout notice is issued, the accused can’t leave the country without the approval from the police and the court. The Lokayukta has formed seven teams for the arrest of accused MLA under the DySP ranked officers.
The authorities have also issued a notice to the MLA’s other son Mallikarjun Madal in connection with transfer of Rs 94 lakh to other accounts on the day of raid from bank accounts of his two companies. He has been asked to appear before the Lokayukta on Monday.
The authorities had seized Rs 8.12 crore in cash besides 1.6 kilograms of gold from the residences of accused BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa and his son Prashanth Madal.
Meanwhile, Lokayukta authorities have also taken up investigation of the allegations of Rs 300 crore misappropriation at the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).

KSDL Employees Union President G.R. Shivashankar had made these allegations.
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#Karnataka #bribe #case #Lokayukta #issue #lookout #notice #accused #BJP #MLA
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 6, 2023
Lokayukta forms special teams to arrest Karnataka BJP MLA in bribery case

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Bengaluru: Karnataka Lokayukta has formed seven teams headed by Deputy Superintendents to arrest BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, who is the prime accused in the bribery case.
Sources said that the teams have already begun tracking and search operations across the state.
The sources also said that the teams have launched a hunt in various locations of Bengaluru and Davangere cities. At the same time, they have also prepared to issue him a notice of inquiry to appear before the Lokayukta police.
The notice will be sent to accused BJP MLA’s residences in Bengaluru, Davanagere, legislatures’ house and office of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL). MLA Virupakshappa was the Chairman of KSDL and he resigned from the post following the trap incident.
The Lokayukta sleuths are also probing the source of more than Rs 6 crore cash found at the residence of Prashanth Madal and Rs 2 crore at the private office.
Prashanth Madal, the son of MLA Virupakshappa, was caught red-handed while accepting Rs 40 lakh cash allegedly towards allotment of a tender for procuring raw materials for KSDL on behalf of his father. Prashanth Madal has been arrested and presently is in judicial custody. The authorities have seized Rs 8 crore from residences and offices later. The development is seen as a serious setback to the ruling BJP government.
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#Lokayukta #forms #special #teams #arrest #Karnataka #BJP #MLA #bribery #case
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 5, 2023
Karnataka Lokayukta raids BDA office following complaints

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Bengaluru: The Karnataka Lokayukta police on Friday raided the Bangalore Development Authority’s office following many complaints and public grievance petitions against the agency.
According to a senior Lokayukta officer, the teams swooped down at the BDA office here in the morning and carried out searches in six different sections of the agency with several files being scrutinised.
Later speaking to reporters, Karnataka Lokayukta Justice B S Patil said the searches were conducted following many complaints flooding the Lokayukta office.
“We will investigate the cases in a systematic way, so that people should not face such problems in future. We have to investigate the previous cases and streamline things for future,” Justice Patil said.
“We are scrutinising all the files. We will open all the pending cases even if it takes 12 midnight or 1 am. We will bring out everything,” the Lokayukta said.
Refraining from sharing the details, Justice Patil said this was not the right time to share details and asked people to wait for the right time
“We are in the process of investigation. We will not share the details. We will only tell you that our team has come and started investigation. We will seize all the documents and conducted searches if required,” he added.
According to sources in the BDA, there were complaints of large-scale irregularities in the BDA with regard to some layout formation, distribution of plots, land acquisition processes and denotification of acquired land.

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#Karnataka #Lokayukta #raids #BDA #office #complaints
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

February 10, 2023