Pralhad Joshi's brother Gopal Joshi reportedly told Sunita Chauhan, wife of JD(S) former MLA Devanand Chauhan, that the money, Rs 5 crore for a Lok Sabha ticket, was for Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Published Oct 18, 2024 | 12:06 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 18, 2024 | 11:07 PM
Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution & New and Renewable Energy. (X)
Basaveshwara Nagar Police in Bengaluru have registered a cheating case against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s sister, brother, and nephew.
The case against the minister’s brother Gopal Joshi, sister Vijayalakshm, and Gopal’s son Ajay Joshi was registered based on a complaint by JD(S)’s former Nagathana MLA Devanand Phool Singh Chauvan’s wife Sunita Chauvan.
In her complaint, Sunita said the trio cheated her and her husband of ₹2.5 crore, promising a BJP ticket for Devanand to contest the Lok Sabha-2024 polls from the Bijapur reserved constituency.
When the ticket was not granted the couple demanded the money back but was harassed, issued threats, and subjected to caste abuse, Sunita alleged.
Basaveshwara Nagar Police have registered an FIR against Pralhad Joshi’s brother Gopal and his son Ajay Singh, and sister Vijayalakshmi on Thursday, 17 October.
Devanand had unsuccessfully contested the 2023 Assembly polls. Complainant Sunita had contested as the Congress-JD(S) alliance nominee from the Bijapur (SC) parliament seat in 2019. She was defeated.
The police have booked the accused under sections 126(2), 115(2), 118(1), 316(2), 318(4), 61, 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.
“Shekhar Nayak, who was known to me and worked as an engineer in Athani (Belagavi district), told me that he was acquainted with Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s brother Gopal Joshi. He mentioned that for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the BJP and JD(S) parties were contesting together in an alliance,” Sunita said in her complaint.
“He further assured me that he could secure a BJP ticket for my husband in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In the first week of March this year (2024), Nayak took me and my husband to Gopal Joshi’s house in Hubballi,” she added.
Recalling their first meeting with Pralhad Joshi’s brother, she said, “We met Gopal Joshi in Hubballi, where he confirmed that Shekhar Nayak had already informed him about the ticket.”
“Gopal then took us to Prahlad Joshi’s office in Hubballi, saying, ‘Let’s sit and talk in my brother’s office. Right now, my brother has great influence in the central government. Modi and Amit Shah listen to him.'”
“Since my husband has a good reputation in Bijapur, Gopal promised to speak with his brother and ensure a BJP ticket for the Bijapur (SC) constituency for the upcoming Lok Sabha election,” the complaint said.
“He then asked us to arrange ₹5 crore immediately, guaranteeing the ticket for my husband. However, my husband and I explained that we did not have that much money. We refused the offer and left,” Sunita said.
Sunita alleged that Gopal took ₹25 lakh and a surety cheque in exchange for the BJP party ticket from the Bijapur (SC) segment for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
“After the initial meeting, Gopal Joshi called my husband and said there was no need to provide ₹5 crore immediately. Instead, he asked for ₹25 lakh upfront and a surety cheque for the remaining amount,” Sunita explained, adding that her husband ended the call by clarifying that he was no longer interested in the ticket.
“After that, Gopal Joshi called me directly, asking why my husband was not responding properly. He urged me not to miss out on such a good opportunity and instructed me to deliver ₹25 lakh to his sister’s house at Basaveshwara Nagar in Bengaluru. He also requested a surety cheque for the remaining balance,” she said.
“Following Gopal Joshi’s call, Shekhar Nayak contacted me and reiterated that this was a valuable opportunity being offered by Joshi. He insisted that we shouldn’t miss it. I asked for a day to think it over, but Nayak insisted that there was no time left and that the matter needed to be settled the same day,” Sunita added.
“I arranged a loan of ₹25 lakh from my relatives. I then delivered the ₹25 lakh in cash to Vijayalakshmi’s house, as suggested by Gopal Joshi. Upon arriving, I met a woman who introduced herself as Vijayalakshmi, the sister of Prahlad Joshi,” she said in the complaint.
“I explained the situation to her, and she invited me inside. I called Gopal Joshi to inform him that I had brought the money, and he instructed me to hand it over to his sister Vijayalakshmi. I gave her ₹25 lakh,” Sunita added that she not only paid money but also the surety check to Joshi’s family.
Sunita further alleged that Gopal claimed that the money was for Union Minister Amit Shah in return for a ticket.
“Within a few hours of handing over the money, Gopal Joshi visited our house. He clarified that the money wasn’t for him, but was meant for the personal security of Amit Shah,” the woman said in the complaint.
“He reassured us that the ticket was confirmed and told us not to worry, as he had already informed Shah’s personal secretary. After that, he took the surety cheque for the remaining amount,” Sunita alleged.
“Despite all these assurances, Gopal Joshi failed to secure the BJP ticket for my husband in the Lok Sabha election. I called him afterward, demanding the return of both the money and the surety cheque due to his failure to deliver the promised ticket,” she said.
Sunita further alleged that Gopal demanded another ₹1.75 crore when approached to return the money.
“Gopal asked us to come to his sister Vijayalakshmi’s house at Basaveshwara Nagar in Bengaluru. They returned the surety cheque for ₹5 crore that I had given them earlier. Then, I asked him to repay the remaining ₹25 lakh,” she complained.
“He responded that he couldn’t return the money immediately, explaining that he had a project bill worth ₹200 crore pending with the government. He assured us the bill would be cleared within 20 days and even showed documents regarding the pending project,” Sunita said.
“He then asked us to arrange another ₹1.75 crore, promising that he would repay it in 20 days, and if we contested in any election, he would give us ₹5 crore towards election expenses,” Sunita added, saying his words convinced her.
“Trusting him, I borrowed ₹50 lakh from Govinda, ₹50 lakh from Nandu Oswal, and ₹25 lakh from my sister Savita—totalling ₹1.75 crore—and transferred it to Vijayalakshmi’s bank account on April 24, 2024,” the complainant said.
“Later, my husband and I handed over ₹50 lakh to Gopal Joshi in the presence of his sister Vijayalakshmi at her Basaveshwara Nagar residence in Bengaluru,” Sunita claimed, stating that they had provided an additional ₹2.25 crore.
JD(S) leader Sunita further alleged that Gopal’s son, Ajay, assured her to return the money but Vijayalakshmi threatened her with the help of goondas and also hurled casteist remarks.
“Even after almost a month, Gopal Joshi never returned our money. When we called him to inquire, he assured us that his pending bill would be cleared soon and that he would return the money with interest,” she said.
“As he stopped answering our calls, we tried to meet him at his residence in Hubballi but couldn’t reach him. We then went to Vijayalakshmi’s house to ask about the money,” Sunita complained.
“Ajay Joshi told us that he was responsible for ensuring our money and that they would not cheat us. He promised to return the money on his father’s behalf and kept sending us away,” she said.
“Whenever Gopal Joshi didn’t respond, we would call Ajay Joshi, who would reassure us that they would return the money. In the first week of August, I went to Vijayalakshmi’s house and asked for the money,” Sunita claimed.
“She responded by saying that she didn’t have any money and asked to file a case in court. I told her I wouldn’t leave until the money was returned. Then, she pushed me out of her house and made casteist remarks,” she alleged.
“Even though my son and I refused to leave, Vijayalakshmi called goons to threaten us, forcing us to return home that day. We were molested and harassed,” she said.
“After discussing with my well-wishers, I decided to file a complaint regarding the assault and fraud. They made me believe that they would secure a BJP Lok Sabha ticket for my husband, but they conspired to cheat us,” Sunita said, demanding action against the senior BJP leader’s relatives.
Responding to reports of the FIR, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said: “I am very clear as far as principles of the BJP and my discipline are concerned. I want to clarify, as for Gopal Joshi, I have legally separated from him as a family member. I have no links with him, personal or professional. I had also publicly placed an advertisement not to believe anyone claiming to be my family. We may have met in family functions but that is inevitable.”
On the FIR filed against his family members, he said: “Now the FIR is filed. I will give the relevant copy of the affidavit and the family deed and the relevant advertisement copy.”
“Since FIR is filed, let there be an investigation, let the law take its own course and I won’t come in the way,” Joshi added that he won’t intervene in the investigation.
(Edited by Majnu Babu).
