FIR Against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s Kin For Taking Bribe Promising BJP Ticket (image-Facebook/Pralhad Joshi)
Bengaluru Police registered a case against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s brother Gopal Joshi, sister Vijayalakshmi Joshi, and nephew Ajay Joshi for allegedly cheating Sunitha Chauhan, wife of former JD(S) MLA Devanand Phool Singh Chauhan, of Rs 2.5 crore.
In her complaint registered in Basaveshwara Nagar Police station, Sunitha claimed that the trio cheated her of Rs 2.5 crore, promising a BJP ticket for her husband to contest the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 from the Bijapur reserved constituency.
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According to the FIR, the BJP minister’s brother Gopal Joshi approached the Chauhans first, claiming he could secure a BJP ticket for them, which the latter rejected first. Allegedly, Gopal persisted and took the money in small instalments, promising a party ticket, which he never did, and neither did he return the money.
Sunitha also alleged that Gopal’s son, Ajay, reportedly provided guarantees during the transactions and that when she visited Vijayalakshmi’s home on August 1 to demand the money, she was assaulted and subjected to caste-based slurs.
According to Sunitha, she and her husband met Gopal through an individual called Shekhar Nayak. Nayak even took them to minister Pralhad Joshi’s office. Gopal allegedly asked them to keep Rs 5 crore ready in exchange for the BJP party ticket, saying, “Right now, my brother has great influence in the central government. Modi and Amit Shah listen to him.”
The Chauhans reportedly rejected the offer, but later Gopal allegedly took Rs 25 lakh and a surety check in exchange for the BJP party ticket from the Bijapur (SC) seat for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. Sunitha arranged the money and delivered the cash to Pralhad Joshi’s sister Vijayalakshmi’s house.
Shortly after, Gopal visited the house to clarify that the money was not for him but for the personal security of Union Home Minister Amit Shah, claimed Sunitha. She also said that Gopal claimed that he had informed Shah’s personal secretary. “After that, he took the surety check for the remaining amount,” Sunita alleged.
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She also alleged that when they approached him to return the money, Gopal demanded another Rs 1.75 crore and returned the Rs 5 crore surety check. The Chauhans trusted him and gave him the required amount.
Sunitha claimed that she was threatened by Vijayalakshmi with the help of goons and was subjected to casteist slurs. The FIR also includes charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for hurling caste-based insults.
