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. The FIR registered on October 17 also includes charges under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act for hurling caste-based insults.
According to the FIR, Gopal Joshi approached the Chauhans, claiming he could secure a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ticket for them in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Initially, the Chauhans rejected the offer, but Gopal persisted and allegedly took the money in several instalments, promising a party ticket. However, he failed to deliver on this promise and did not return the money. Gopal's son, Ajay, also reportedly provided guarantees during the transactions. Sunitha further alleged that when she visited Vijayalakshmi's home on August 1 to demand the money, she was assaulted and subjected to caste-based slurs.
Sunitha recounted that she and her husband were introduced to Gopal by an acquaintance named Shekhar Nayak, who took them to meet Gopal in Hubballi and even to Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s office. Gopal allegedly asked them to keep Rs 5 crore ready in exchange for the ticket, stating Prahlad Joshi’s influence with BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.
Sunitha said though she was initially reluctant, she was later convinced by Gopal and borrowed Rs 25 lakh, which she handed over to Vijayalakshmi. She also gave a Rs 5 crore cheque as security.
When Chauhan’s didn’t get the party ticket, they asked Gopal to return the money. Gopal did return the security cheque but said that there was a Rs 200 crore project bill pending with the government, so he couldn’t return Rs 25 lakh.
According to the FIR, Gopal allegedly approached Sunitha again asking her to arrange Rs 1.75 crore which he would return within 20 days. He even showed the documents of the project as proof. Sunitha then transferred Rs 1.75 crore to Vijaylakshmi’s account on Gopal’s behest and gave him an additional Rs 50 lakh in cash. The FIR states that Ajay acted as a guarantee.
In the first week of August 2024, Sunitha alleged that during her visit to demand the return of the money, she was assaulted and threatened by goons, who also targeted her son. Sunitha told TNM that she was waiting for BJP leaders to intervene and resolve the issue.
Gopal, who works for Canara Bank, had previously been accused in a case involving a Rs 1.38 crore loss to the bank, although the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) cleared him of the charges in 2014.