In a significant development, Karnataka City Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested religious seer Abhinava Halasri, who was absconding in connection with a BJP MLA ticket scam in Odisha. The prime accused in the scam, Chaitra Kundapura, had earlier stated that the involvement of prominent figures in the BJP would come to light once Abhinava Halasri was apprehended.
The seer was arrested in Cuttack, Odisha while traveling on a train to Bodh Gaya from Bhubaneswar. Halasri is accused of accepting a bribe of Rs 1.5 crore from an industrialist, Govind Babu Poojari, with the promise of securing a BJP MLA ticket from the Bainduru assembly constituency in Dakshina Kannada district. His arrest has sparked curiosity, as it is expected to shed light on his connections with BJP and RSS leaders.