Supreme Court Issues Notice In Karnataka Lokayukta’s Plea Challenging Interim Anticipatory Bail GrantTo BJP MLA In Bribe Case

The Supreme Court, on Monday, issued notice, in a plea by Karnataka Lokayukta challenging the Karnataka High Court's order granting interim anticipatory bail to BJP MLA, K. Madal Virupakshappa, in a bribery case. The High Court order was not stayed. 

While issuing notice the Bench comprising Justice Aniruddha Bose and Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia was concerned that though the petition was filed by the Karnataka Lokayukta the cause title reads ‘State of Karnataka’. In this regard, Justice Dhulia enquired, “How can you be State”. The Counsel appearing for Lokayukta apprised the Bench that the petition was filed through the police and hence the cause title reads as such. The Bench did not seem to be satisfied. Justice Dhulia remarked, “How can police be State?"

Background

A complaint was lodged before the Lokayukta Police alleging that Virupakshappa demanded illegal gratification to process a certain tender in Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd (KSDL).

Pursuant to the complaint, the Lokayukta Police registered an FIR for offences under section 7(a) of PC(Amended) Act, 2018 against the petitioner and others. Later, Virupakshappa's son V Prashanth Madal and other accused were allegedly caught red-handed accepting Rs 40 lakh. It has also been alleged that over Rs 8 crore was recovered by Lokayukta from the MLA's son in the first week of March.

On March 7, a single bench of the High Court allowed him interim anticipatory bail on the condition to furnish a personal bond of Rupees 5 lakhs and not to enter the office of Karnataka Soaps & Detergents Ltd (KSDL) till further orders.

Later, a civil court in Bengaluru passed an ex-parte ad-interim order restraining several media houses from publishing any "defamatory opinion" against Virupakshappa in relation to the corruption allegations.

[Case Title: State of Karnataka v. K. Madal Virupakshappa SLP(Crl) No. 3599/2023]

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