In Karnataka, Lokayukta police has arrested BJP MLA K.K. 2.02 crore from the office of Madal Virupakshappa and Rs.6.10 crore in unaccounted cash from the residence of his son V. Prashant Madal. Prashant has been arrested in this regard, while his father has got anticipatory bail.
BJP MLA K. Madal Virupakshappa. (Photo Credits: Facebook)
New Delhi: A civil court in Bengaluru, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Karnataka K. Madal Virupakshappa and his son V. Prashant have been restrained from airing or publishing any ‘derogatory opinion’ against Madal Media.
The court order came days after the Lokayukta police recovered a large amount of cash from the office of a BJP MLA and his son’s residence. This pertains to a bribery case being handled by the Lokayukta.
During the raid, the Lokayukta police reportedly recovered Rs 2.02 crore in cash from the MLA’s KSDL office and Rs 6.10 crore from Prashant’s residence. Prashant was earlier posted in the now defunct Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB).
Justice Balagopalakrishna also took a dig at the media, saying that the seizure of cash by the authorities from the MLA and his son during the Lokayukta police raid cannot be a basis for declaring them guilty and portraying them as ‘corrupt’.
He also said that the accused should be given an opportunity to defend their case, otherwise it would amount to ‘character assassination’.
The judge, in his order, said, till the next date of hearing of the matter, to restrain the defendants from airing or publishing any defamatory opinion against the accused in the news channels, media and conducting any panel discussion in any manner, as per LiveLaw’s report. is temporarily barred from.
The respondent news organizations in the case are The Times of India, Bangalore Mirror, Deccan Herald, The Indian Express, The Hindu, NDTV 24×7 and Aaj Tak.
On March 4, BJP MLA from Channagiri K.K. A raid was conducted at Madal Virupakshappa’s place. According to officials, a huge amount of cash amounting to around Rs 8 crore was seized from his office and his son’s house.
The BJP MLA was also the chairman of Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited (KSDL), a public sector undertaking, but resigned from his post after this action.
The officials also said that they had caught the MLA’s son red-handed taking a bribe of Rs 40 lakh in lieu of tender from KSDL.
The MLA’s son and Karnataka Administrative Service (KAS) officer V. Prashant Madal, who was posted as Chief Accountant in the Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB), has been arrested.
In the FIR registered in this regard, the MLA has been named as the first accused and his son as the second accused.
The FIR has been registered on the basis of a complaint by Shreyas Kashyap, partner in Chemixil Corporation, Bengaluru, who alleged that Prashant Madal had demanded Rs 81 lakh as kickback for a tender in Karnataka Soap and Detergent Limited.
After this, on the evening of March 2, the MLA’s son Prashant Madal was arrested from his father’s KSDL office, when he was allegedly taking Rs 40 lakh as the ‘first instalment’.
While the MLA has been granted anticipatory interim bail by the Karnataka High Court, his son has been sent to judicial custody for 14 days on charges of taking bribe.
The latest order of the civil court came in response to the MLA and his son moving the court for relief, claiming that media organizations were making ‘false and defamatory allegations’ against them.
The MLA petitioned the court that the entire episode involving corruption charges against him and his son was handiwork of rival parties, who were conspiring to tarnish his image as his party would give him a seat ahead of the upcoming elections in the state. Wants to hand over a big responsibility.
He has accused his rival parties of ‘running false news’ against him and his family members.
The court said, ‘Whatever allegations made by various media including electronic media are baseless and without verifying the truth, if they continue to be telecast, it is nothing but defamation of the character of the plaintiff and the plaintiff should be punished in his own right. Even without giving an opportunity to explain the situation.
Underlining that the dignity of the plaintiff was being compromised due to media reporting on the matter, the judge said that ‘it is also a constitutional right to live with dignity’.
According to Livelaw, the judge took a dig at the media and said, ‘Of course if there is truth then media people can also publish. It will be subject to verification whether there is truth in it or not and they should have the material. Merely, on the basis of statements made by persons, the defendants shall not broadcast news as per their whims and fancies to help other people. The constitutional right given to the media should not be misused by them.
The judge also said that the media was broadcasting or publishing the issue ‘only with the intention of harming the goodwill of the society and there is no truth in their act without ascertaining the truth’.
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Categories: India, Media, Politics, Special
