The counsel said the matter could be taken up at 2 pm.
New Delhi:
The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear the Karnataka Lokayukta’s plea against the High Court granting anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, the main accused in the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents (KSDL) contract scam.
The petition was initially mentioned for urgent listing before a bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, who asked the counsel for the Lokayukta to mention the matter before a bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul.
When the counsel requested that the matter be listed at the earliest, the CJI said that since the Chief Justice’s court was hearing the matter for a constitution bench, it would not be possible for the bench to hear it.
CJI Chandrachud said, “You can mention the matter before the bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul. We are hearing the matter of a constitution bench or else we would have taken it up at the end of the board.”
The counsel said the matter could be taken up at 2 pm.
CJI Chandrachud said, “Okay. You mention before Justice Kaul.”
The lawyers immediately rushed to the court presided over by Justice Kaul and sought urgent listing of the petition.
However, Justice Kaul asked the counsel as to what was the need to list the petition.
The lawyer said that the accused is a sitting MLA and a huge amount of money has been seized from him.
Justice Kaul then directed that the matter be listed at the earliest and said that the High Court has already made up its mind.
The counsel requested that the matter be listed at 2 pm.
Justice Kaul, however, said that it was a matter of cancellation of bail and it would be listed at an appropriate time.
BJP MLA’s son Prashant Madal, who is the Chief Accounts Officer of the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board, was arrested by the Lokayukta police on March 2 while allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh on behalf of his father at the KSDL office.
The Single Judge Bench of the High Court had granted him anticipatory bail after hearing the petition of the MLA.
Mr. Virupakashappa resigned from the post of KSDL President following the arrest of his son.
While granting conditional bail, the High Court directed the MLA to appear before the investigating officer in the case within 48 hours of receiving the copy of the order. The anticipatory bail was given on a surety of Rs 5 lakh.
Mr. Virupakshappa was also directed not to tamper with the witness while on bail. The hearing of the petition was adjourned till March 17.
The MLA’s petition claimed that he had no role in the alleged bribery case and was falsely implicated in it.
The alleged scam pertains to the supply of chemicals to KSDL in which a bribe of Rs 81 lakh was allegedly demanded.
His son was allegedly caught taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh on his behalf.
Following the arrest of Prashant Mandal, the Lokayukta police conducted further search operations at Mandal’s home and offices and recovered Rs 8.23 crore in cash.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
