Bengaluru, Mar 28 (IANS): A special court here on Tuesday sent Karnataka BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa, arrested in connection with a bribe for tender scam, to Lokayukta police custody for five days, till April 1, for further investigation.

Special Court for People's Representatives judge B. Jayanth Kumar gave the order. Virupakshappa will now be grilled by the Lokayukta sleuths over the corruption case in which he is the prime accused.

Counsel for Lokayukta sought 10 days custody for investigation, but the MLA's lawyer requested bail as he had attended probe many times and he is facing health issues.

Virupakshappa was arrested on Monday evening, following the Karnataka High Court rejecting his bail plea. The Lokayukta sleuths had chased him and arrested him after tracking him near Tumakuru city as he disappeared after the bail rejection.

The development is perceived as a major setback to the ruling BJP government ahead of Assembly elections.

Virupakshappa was absconding for five days and Congress alleged that the BJP government was protecting him.

His son Prashath Madal was caught red-handed while receiving Rs 40 lakh bribe towards allotment of procurement of raw materials to the Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL), a public sector unit, whose Chairman the MLA was. His son was allegedly receiving bribes on behalf of his father.

The authorities had seized Rs 8.12 crore and 1.6 kg gold from the residences of Virupakshappa and his son.

Meanwhile, the Advocates' Association, Bengaluru, had objected to the immediate posting of the interim anticipatory bail application of Virupakshappa and expressed serious concern in its letter to the CJI D.Y. Chandrachud.