Hubli (Karnataka): Rs 3 crore was recovered by Central Crime Branch officials from the residence and office premises belonging to a businessman during a raid in Karnataka's Hubli district on Saturday. The accused was identified as one Ramesh Bonageri, a resident of Keshwapur in the district. The operation led by CCB Deputy Superintendent of Police Narayana Baramani was launched after receiving a tip- off regarding unaccounted currency being stored on the premises.
Also read: Karnataka: Lokayukta recovers Rs 6 crore cash from arrested BJP MLA Virupakshappa's son Prashanth
A case was subsequently registered in the Ashokanagar police station. As per reports, Bonageri supplies chemicals to the Agriculture Department. This comes a few days after Prashanth Kumar, the son of BJP MLA Maadal Virupakshappa, was caught red-handed while accepting a bribe of Rs 40 lakhs. Following this, the MLA, who also the Chairman of Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Limited, resigned to the the post on Friday.
The incident resulted in political tremors jolting the state while Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai assured an independent probe into the money recovered during the raid. Virupakshappa, on his part, claimed that the incident was a conspiracy against his family. ".... Due to accusations against me, I resigning from the post of KSDL president taking moral responsibility," he said in the resignation letter. Meanwhile, reacting to the situation, former Chief Minister and BJP veteran BS Yediyurappa clearly stated that the rulling party would not interfere in the probe being carried out by the Lokayukta.
