Lokayukta police in Karnataka nabbed personal assistant Guru Lamani red-handed as he took ₹5 lakh from contractor Vijay Poojara at Balaji Hospital in Lakshmeshwar, Gadag district. The hospital belongs to Dr. Chandru Lamani, the BJP legislator representing Shirahatti. Officers moved in around midday Saturday after Poojara arrived to hand over the cash, according to Lokayukta officials.

Guru Lamani spotted the police and tossed ₹50,000 out of the building. He stashed the remaining ₹4.5 lakh in a medical shop on site. Lokayukta teams recovered all the money. They plan to produce Dr. Lamani in the People’s Representatives’ Special Court in Bengaluru soon, officials said.

The trap stemmed from complaints about Lamani demanding bribes for public works contracts. Poojara, the complainant, agreed to wear a wire and deliver the payment as instructed. Lokayukta sources confirmed the MLA owns the hospital where the exchange occurred.

BJP leaders stayed mum initially on the bust. State party president B.Y. Vijayendra told reporters he learned of the incident moments earlier. He promised a response once he reviews full details from investigators.

Congress leaders pounced. Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar mocked the BJP’s claims of clean governance. “They preach integrity, but look at their MLA’s honesty,” Shivakumar said in Bengaluru.

Tensions flared in Lakshmeshwar, Lamani’s hometown. Around 200 supporters gathered outside the hospital, chanting against the ruling Congress. They called the raid a political setup to target the MLA ahead of elections. Police dispersed the crowd without arrests, local officers reported. No violence erupted, though protesters blocked roads briefly.

Dr. Lamani, a doctor-turned-politician, won the Shirahatti seat for BJP in 2023. The constituency sits in northern Karnataka’s Gadag district, known for its farming economy. Lamani faces separate probes into alleged irregularities in irrigation projects, according to earlier Lokayukta filings.

This marks the second BJP lawmaker ensnared in a Karnataka graft case this year. In January, police arrested another party MLA over similar contractor complaints. Opposition parties demanded BJP suspend Lamani immediately. Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh tweeted that the incident exposes BJP’s “corruption under NDA rule.”

Lokayukta police continue searches at Lamani’s residences and offices. They seized documents related to road and drainage contracts worth over ₹20 crore in Gadag. No further arrests have occurred as of Sunday evening.

The scandal hits BJP hard months before Karnataka polls. Party insiders worry it could dent their rural support in Lingayat-heavy Gadag. Lamani’s camp insists he remains innocent. They blame Congress for orchestrating the trap through local contractors.

Courts will decide Lamani’s custody Monday. Lokayukta officials expect formal charges within days, pending forensic tests on the tainted cash.