Bengaluru, February 21 – BJP legislator Chandru Lamani, who represents the Shirahatti constituency, was taken into custody by the Karnataka Lokayukta on Saturday in connection with an alleged bribery case in the town of Laxmeshwar, Gadag district.
The Lokayukta team reportedly apprehended the MLA while he was allegedly accepting ₹5 lakh from a contractor as part of a larger bribe demand. His government personal assistant, Manjunath Valmiki, and private assistant, Guru Lamani, were also detained and questioned during the operation.
According to Lokayukta sources, Lamani had allegedly demanded ₹11 lakh from a Class I contractor, identified as Vijay Poojar, in connection with the allocation of a contract under the Minor Irrigation Department. The bribe was reportedly linked to the construction of roadside retaining walls.
The operation was conducted under the supervision of Dharwad Lokayukta Superintendent of Police Siddalingappa.
Officials reportedly set up a trap and apprehended the MLA and his associates while they were accepting ₹5 lakh as part of the alleged bribe transaction.
Following the operation, Lokayukta officials also conducted searches at Balaji Hospital in Laxmeshwar town, which is owned by Chandru Lamani, as part of the investigation.
Further investigation into the case is underway, and officials are examining additional evidence related to the alleged bribery case.
It may be recalled that former Karnataka BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was arrested in a bribery case in 2023. The Lokayukta police had tracked the BJP leader to Channagiri town in Davanagere district, where he was scheduled to address a public meeting.
He allegedly attempted to evade the police before being intercepted at a toll gate near Bengaluru. His anticipatory bail plea was subsequently rejected by the Karnataka High Court.
Virupakshappa was named the main accused in a corruption case linked to Karnataka State Soaps and Detergents Limited (KSDL).
He was booked by the Karnataka Lokayukta after his son was caught accepting a bribe of ₹40 lakh. During subsequent raids, Lokayukta officials recovered ₹6.1 crore in cash from his Sanjay Nagar residence and ₹2.2 crore from his office premises.
In total, ₹8.23 crore in cash, along with a large quantity of gold and silver ornaments and substantial investments in land across Karnataka, were recovered during the searches.
