KSDL bribery case: AAP urges to re-inquire against ex-BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa
Bengaluru: The Aam Aadmi Party's state unit on Friday demanded that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah immediately refer the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Factory bribery case to the Lokayukta to re-investigate former BJP MLA K Madal Virupakshappa.
The demand came two days after the Karnataka High Court quashed a case against Virupakshappa.
The party's state media coordinator Jagadish V Saddam said the Lokayukta raid at Virupakshappa's office when he was an MLA and president of the Karnataka Soap and Detergent Factory (KSDL), attracted the attention of the entire country.
This incident took place before the Karnataka assembly elections. It was the main reason for BJP's crushing defeat in the state.
ALSO READ: K'taka HC quashes bribery case against former BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, son to face trial
''Shreyas Kashyap had complained to the Lokayukta that Madal Virupakshappa had asked for a bribe to sell raw materials related to perfumes. Madal's son and KAS officer Prashant Madal, was caught by the Lokayukta police while accepting a bribe on behalf of his father. Prashant Madal was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh. He was arrested,'' he said in a statement.
After that, even during Lokayukta raid on Madal Virupakshappa's house, Rs eight crore were found but he gave the same account that it was money from selling arecanut.
''Didn't the BJP government at least know that the case should be investigated after obtaining the permission of the prosecution? Why did Lokayukta file an FIR without the permission of the prosecution? The fact that such a big case has been dismissed is a reflection of the bad system,'' he said.
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Tomato prices in Karnataka may hit Rs 85/kg if rains persist in North India, warn traders
Kolar: Tomato prices in Karnataka are likely to surge, with retail rates potentially touching Rs 85 per kg if heavy rains continue to batter Maharashtra and other northern states over the coming days, posing a fresh burden on households that rely on the staple ingredient.
On Sunday, a 15-kg crate of tomatoes at the Kolar APMC market, which is the second-biggest market in Asia, was sold for Rs 750, a sharp increase from Rs 250–Rs 350 just three days ago, The New Indian Express reported.
Traders have warned that if weather conditions do not improve by next week, retail prices of tomatoes would touch Rs 85 per kg in Karnataka.
Kiran, secretary of the APMC market, said that continuous rainfall in Maharashtra, a major tomato-producing state, has disrupted supply to states such as Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Haryana, and Tamil Nadu.
CMR Srinath, a tomato farmer and merchant at the APMC market, also added that heavy rain has affected the tomato crop in large areas of Maharashtra. “If showers continue in the neighbouring state for another week, the prices at the Kolar APMC market would touch Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 per crate,” TNIE quoted him as saying.
This disruption has significantly increased the demand for tomatoes from Karnataka, especially from the Kolar region.
“Over 200 vehicles carrying over 2,500 tonnes of the fruit left from the APMC market on Sunday to different destinations,” TNIE quoted Kiran as saying.
Despite the high demand, local supply remains limited, as many farmers in Kolar had reportedly avoided cultivating tomatoes due to poor prices over the last four months.
