Union minister Pralhad Joshi’s brother and nephew arrested in Rs 2 crore scam; Promised BJP ticket for family | Hubballi News – Times of India

HUBBALLI: Gopal Joshi, brother of Union minister Pralhad Joshi, and his nephew Ajay Joshi, who had been absconding, were arrested by Bengaluru police Saturday, following a cheating complaint lodged by the wife of a former JD(S) MLA.
Police tracked Gopal Joshi to Kolhapur and his son Ajay to Pune. Both were brought to Hubballi for questioning after Bengaluru police raided Gopal Joshi’s residence in Indra Colony, Keshwapur.Officers seized cash during the raid and summoned Gopal Joshi for further interrogation at the Keshwapur police station.
Joshi distanced himself from the accused, stating that he had disowned Gopal over 30 years ago. “I have no sister. I have only three brothers, one of whom died in an accident in 1984,” he said.
Accused duo promised BJP ticket for family
Pralhad Joshi also confirmed he had filed a public notice and an affidavit in court, asserting that any business dealings conducted by Gopal or anyone claiming to be related to him would not implicate him.
Basaveshwaranagar police had booked the duo on Thursday night after Sunita Chavan, wife of former Nagthan MLA Devavand Phool Singh Chavan, accused Gopal Joshi of defrauding her of Rs 2 crore.
She alleged that Gopal had promised a BJP ticket for her family to contest the Lok Sabha polls held earlier this year.
She also claimed she was introduced to a woman, Vijayalakshmi, falsely identified as Pralhad Joshi’s sister. Sunita claimed that she paid Rs 25 lakh in cash toVijayalakshmi who stays in Basaveshwaranagar. Sunita told the media that the minister was not involved in the scam.