Karnataka chief minister Basavaraj Bommai has responded to Lokayukta officials arresting the son of a BJP MLA in Karnataka and called it ‘government’s war against corruption.’ He also slammed the Congress party and said that it had shut down the Lokayukta body, only to escape from corruption charges.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Basavaraj Bommai said, “Our government doesn’t spare anyone who is involved in corruption, irrespective of their parties. A detailed probe will be conducted on the accused and the money that was caught. The Lokayukta body in the state was closed by the Congress government and we re-launched it after coming to power. Many Congress leaders escaped from it, and this is our war against corruption.”
The money was alleged to be for bribe. The anti-corruption wing of the Lokayukta also caught his son, Prashanth Madal, a chief accountant in the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), allegedly taking bribes from a contractor for a project.
The Congress has alleged BJP leaders in Karnataka have more money than the Reserve Bank of India. The party tweeted, “The houses of Karnataka BJP leaders have more money than the RBI. Is that why Amit Shah is making frequent visits to the state? The caught money was the money that was supposed to reach him?”
The Karnataka Lokayukta found ₹40 lakh cash at BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa’s office on Bengaluru’s Crescent Road on Thursday, alleged to be bribe money. The anti-corruption wing of the Lokayukta raided Madal’s office and caught his son, Prashanth Madal, who is a KAS officer, red-handed while he was taking the bribe from a contractor for a project.
Prashanth works as a chief accountant in the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB). His father, Madal Virupakshappa, is a sitting MLA
from the Channagiri constituency in Davanagere district. He is also the chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited.

Prashanth had allegedly demanded the bribe to close a tender for the BWSSB which is worth ₹80 lakh, according to reports. The Lokayukta acted on a complaint over the demand for a bribe. An official source from the Lokayukta said more than ₹1.7 crore cash was found at Madal’s office.A video of the Lokayukta counting the cash recovered at his office is going viral on social media sites.The discovery led to an uproar in the opposition, as the Karnataka Congress furthered their “40 per cent commission” attack on the Basavaraj Bommai-led government, implying corruption charges, ahead of the crucial upcoming assembly polls in the southern state.Alleging that the BJP is collecting funds for the election, the Karnataka Congress on Twitter questioned if CM Bommai will give in his resignation.
The battle over the anti-corruption raid comes as southern state is set to hold an Assembly election this year, with the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular) each looking to unseat the BJP.