Bengaluru: The complainant in a election fraud case allegedly involving Gopal Joshi, on Saturday clarified that Union Minister Pralhad Joshi has no connection to the fraud. The complainant had accused Gopal Joshi, the brother of Union Minister Pralhad Joshi, of deceiving her by promising a BJP ticket for Rs 2 crore.
The complainant Sunita Chauhan revealed that Gopal demanded Rs 25 lakh as an initial payment, which she handed over, but when the promised ticket was not delivered and the money wasn’t returned, she was forced to file a complaint.
Complainant accuses Gopal Joshi of Rs 2 crore election ticket fraud
The complainant said, “Gopal Joshi said that he will give tickets for Rs 2 crore. He demanded Rs 25 lakh, and I gave him the money. But when the ticket was not received, and the money was not returned, we inevitably filed a complaint. In this, the name of the High Command has been misused. No leaders of the centre have been met. I gave money directly to Gopal Joshi. He said that he would give a ticket from BJP.”
Following the complaint, the police brought Sunita Chauhan to Gopal Joshi’s residence in Indira Colony, Hubli, where they cordoned off the place and conducted a panchanama, a formal search, at the premises.
What Pralhad Joshi said
Earlier, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi had responded, distancing himself from the case and pointing out an error in the FIR. According to the FIR, a woman named Vijaylakshmi Joshi, identified as Gopal’s sister, was also involved, a claim the minister strongly denied. “At the outset, I would like to point out a glaring mistake in the FIR stating that someone by the name of Vijaylakshmi is my sister. This is highly nonfactual as I don’t have any sisters. We are three brothers and don’t have a sister,” he said.
Pralhad Joshi further clarified that he has been estranged from Gopal for over 32 years. “Myself and Gopal Joshi have been separated for more than 32 years. On earlier occasions when he (Gopal) faced some allegations of his conduct, I had bought an injunction from the Bengaluru City Civil Court for linking my name with him,” the minister said.
The minister also mentioned about a public notice he issued in 2012 to distance himself from Gopal. “It is pertinent to mention here that I had also published an advertisement in leading local dailies on November 9, 2012, stating that whoever quotes my name for getting work done or makes any such claims that they are relatives, brother, friends, etc, I am in no way connected and responsible for such claims of others.”
Pralhad Joshi said, “I would like to repeat that I have no connection whatsoever with my brother Gopal Joshi for the last 32 years. The extracts of the Affidavit and a copy of the Advertisement published in the newspaper are enclosed.”
The Union Minister said, “Since the FIR has been filed, I would like to say that let the law take its action, let there be an investigation.”
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