News Reading Practice #40
(100 Day Challenge)
HC QUASHES BRIBERY CASE AGAINST FORMER BJP MLA, SON TO FACE TRIAL
Bengaluru, Dec. 21: The High Court of Karnataka has quashed the bribery case pending against former BJP MLA from Channagiri, Madal Virupakshappa.
The case was set in motion after his son, Prashanth Madal, a KAS
officer, was caught accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakh allegedly on behalf of his
father. Subsequently, more cash was found in his residence.
“Prima facie, it is the son who has to answer the allegations in a full-blown trial” the single bench of high court said quashing the
case against Virupakshappa on Wednesday. Justice M Nagaprasanna, in his
judgement, quashed the case pending before the special court for sitting and
former legislators and said that there is no evidence against Virupakshappa,
but his son must answer for the cash found. Allowing the petition filed by the
then chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL), the court said,
“The son is prima facie guilty of demand, acceptance and is answerable to the
cash found in his house or his office. If the petitioner (Madal Virupakshappa) is nowhere found in any of the instances, he
cannot be permitted to be prosecuted merely because he is the father of the accused no 2 (Prashanth Madal).”
The complaint registered by the Lokayukta police on March 2, 2023, under
Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) does not constitute the
ingredients of offences under Section 7 and 7A of the Prevention of Corruption (PC)
Act, the court said.
Madal Virupakshappa, the number one accused in the case, was charged
under Section 7(A) and 7(B) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. While Prashanth Madal is the second accused in the case. Siddesh,
Nicholas and Gangadhar are the other accused.
The court said that in the entire episode there was no evidence of an
offence committed by the senior Madal. “Since no offence in even the remotest
sense was found, permitting proceedings against the ex-MLA would become an abuse of
the process of law, degenerate into harassment and ultimately result in miscarriage of justice.
“The son is prima facie guilty of demand, acceptance and is answerable
to the cash found in his house or his office” the court said for allowing the proceedings to
continue against Prashanth. -PTI
QUASHES: To reject or annul a legal decision or proceeding.
BRIBERY: To try to make someone do something for you by giving them money
SUBSEQUENTLY: Happening or coming after something else.
PRIMA FACIE: At first glance; based on the first impression or initial evidence.
ALLEGATIONS: Statements or accusations that someone has committed a crime or done something wrong, often without proof.
PETITIONER: A person who presents a formal request or plea to an authority or court.
PERMITTED: Allowed or authorized; having the right or freedom to do something.
PROSECUTED: Taken to court, subjected to a legal process, and potentially punished for a crime.
CONSTITUTE: To form, compose, or make up; to be the components or elements of something.
INGREDIENTS: Essential parts or elements that make up a whole.
CORRUPTION: Dishonest or fraudulent conduct by those in power, typically involving bribery.
REMOTEST: Furthest or most distant in degree or extent.
ABUSE: Improper or harmful use; the mistreatment of power for harmful purposes.
DEGENERATE: To decline or deteriorate from a higher to a lower state; to become less functional or morally worse.
HARASSMENT: Persistent unwanted behavior causing distress, annoyance, or intimidation.
MISCARRIAGE: A failure or error in the administration of justice, leading to an unjust outcome.
PROCEEDINGS: Legal actions or processes taken in a court of law.
