New Delhi: Karnataka BJP MLA Chandru Lamani caught accepting ₹5 lakh bribe; Congress govt takes ‘very honest’ jibe
A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA in Karnataka, Chandru Lamani, was allegedly caught accepting a bribe of ₹5 lakh in Gadag for executing irrigation and construction works in the area, said Lokayukta police officials on Saturday after they laid a trap for him.
“Today, a successful trap was laid by the Gadag Lokayukta police station. The accused public servant was caught while accepting ₹5 lakh,” news agency quoted officials as saying, who added that Lamani’s personal assistants Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Naik have also been held in connection with the case.
The accused, Lamani, who won the 2023 Assembly election on a BJP ticket from Shirahatti constituency, had allegedly demanded a total of ₹11 lakh from the complainant for resolving the addressed concerns.
Vijay Pujar, who is a Class-I contractor from Chinchali, reached out to authorities and a trap was laid, in which, the accused MLA fell right in.
The alleged bribe demand was related to execution of works under the Minor Irrigation Department, including the construction of retaining walls along a road, Lokayukta officials said, according to the PTI report.
Police registered a case under Section 7(a) read with 7(A) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, against Lamani and said that his two personal assistants have also been secured with an investigation underway.
Lamani was taken to the government hospital for medical examination, said Lokayukta Sources, following which, the MLA would be produced before the Special Court for Public Representatives in Bengaluru.
Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah did not let the opportunity to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party over the issue. “Lamani has been caught by the Lokayukta. What will the BJP leaders say now? They must respond, shouldn’t they? It is easy to level allegations of corruption and bribery against others. But now a BJP MLA himself has been caught,” Siddaramaiah said.
“Let the Lokayukta conduct the investigation. We will not obstruct the inquiry in any way. Whatever investigation the Lokayukta is carrying out, let it proceed. We will speak 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 corruption-free in this country. The Lokayukta might have received some wrong information.”
State BJP president BY Vijayendra refused to comment on the case, saying that he would speak after ascertaining the facts.
Karnataka Legislative Council’s leader of opposition, Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, said he was not aware of the details and that BJP does not tolerate bribery.
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