A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Karnataka, Chandru Lamani, was allegedly caught accepting bribe. $After laying a trap for him, Lokayukta police officials said on Saturday that they had paid ₹5 lakh in Gadag to carry out irrigation and construction work in the area.
The trap was set after a complaint filed against Lamani by a contractor.
“Today, a successful trap was laid by Gadag Lokayukta Police Station. The accused public servant was arrested while accepting $Lamani’s personal assistants, Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Naik, have also been detained in connection with the case, the news agency quoted officials as saying.
The trap
The accused, Lamani, who won the 2023 Assembly elections on a BJP ticket from Shirhatti constituency, has demanded a total of $11 lakh from the complainant to resolve the concerns addressed.
Vijay Pujar, a top-tier contractor from Chinchali, approached the authorities and a trap was set which the accused MLA fell directly into.
Lamani was caught by Lokayukta officials accepting a bribe $5 lakh.
Lokayukta officials said the alleged bribe demand was related to implementation of works in the Minor Irrigation Department, including construction of retaining walls along the road.
The police registered a case under Section 7(A) read with Section 7(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Lamani and said his personal assistants have also been secured with an investigation underway.
Lokayukta sources said Lamani was taken to the government hospital for a medical examination, after which mutual legal assistance will be provided before the Special Court of Public Prosecutors in Bengaluru.
Political wave
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah did not leave the opportunity to attack the BJP over the issue. “Lamani has been arrested by the Lokayukta. What will the BJP leaders say now? They have to respond, right? It is easy to make allegations of corruption and bribery against others. But now the BJP member himself has been arrested,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Let the Lokayukta conduct the investigation. We will not obstruct the investigation in any way. Whatever investigation the Lokayukta conducts, let it continue. We will talk about it politically later,” he added.
Deputy CM DK Shivakumar also took a sarcastic jibe at the rival party and said, “BJP leaders are very honest. They are free from corruption in this country. Lokayukta may have received some wrong information.”
How the BJP responded
BJP state president P Vijayendra refused to comment on the case, saying he would speak after ascertaining the facts.
Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, said he was not aware of the details and that the BJP does not tolerate bribery.
Lamani’s supporters supported him, as they alleged that the state law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister HK Patel along with the Congress government were behind the conspiracy.
The party also raised slogans against the ruling Congress government in Karnataka.
(With inputs from PTI)
