The Bengaluru police have filed an FIR against Union Minister Pralhad Joshi's brother and sister based on a complaint of cheating lodged by a former JD(S) MLA's wife.

His brother Gopal Joshi and sister Vijayalakshmi were booked by Basaweshwaranagar police. Gopal's son Ajay Joshi has also been named in the FIR, police sources said on Friday.

The complaint was filed by Sunita Chavan, wife of former Nagthana MLA Devavand Phool Singh Chavan, who lost the 2023 Assembly election.

She alleged that Gopal promised her to get a ticket to contest the May Lok Sabha elections when she approached him at his Hubballi residence in north Karnataka in March and later delivered Rs 25 lakh at Vijayalakshmi's house at Basaveshwaranagar here on his instruction.

When she did not get a ticket, Sunita alleged, she again approached Gopal, who told her that he was about to get a Rs 200 crore project and he would return her amount. He asked her to pay him Rs 1.75 crore, which she did, the complainant alleged.

Gopal thereafter failed to honour his promise to return the money in 20 days, the complainant alleged, adding, she visited Vijayalakshmi's residence but to no avail.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner B Dayananda told reporters here: "It appears Rs 2 crore was given in various instalments, which is also under investigation".

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