Karnataka govt forms SIT to probe 3 cases against BJP MLA Munirathna

Bengaluru, Sep 21 (PTI) The Karnataka government on Saturday constituted a Special Investigation Team headed by Additional Director General of Police (CID) B K Singh to probe three criminal cases registered against BJP MLA Munirathna, including a casteist slur and a rape case.

The announcement came after a court remanded Munirathna to 14 days’ judicial custody in an alleged rape case earlier in the day.

The investigation team also comprises three IPS officers, Labhu Ram, Soumyalatha S K and C A Simon.

The team has been asked to probe not only the three cases against him but also all the cases registered against the MLA and his aides in various police stations across the state.

Munirathna was arrested a week ago in connection with two FIRs being lodged against him for alleged harassment, threats and casteist abuse.

Soon after he was released on bail, he was arrested in a rape case and was remanded to judicial custody on Saturday.

The cases against the Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA were filed at Vyalikaval police station on September 13.

In the first FIR filed by the police based on a complaint by Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor Cheluvaraju, the MLA is accused of demanding Rs 30 lakh as a bribe and threatening to terminate his contract if he did not pay the money.

The contractor alleged that Munirathna had initially demanded Rs 20 lakh in 2021 for a solid waste disposal contract. However, despite making that payment for getting 10 auto trippers for a waste management contract, he was not sanctioned those vehicles by the civic body.

According to the FIR, Cheluvaraju was being repeatedly harassed by the MLA, who allegedly verbally abused him and also physically assaulted him.

In the complaint, the contractor further alleged that the MLA did not allow him to execute his work and had even slapped him in September 2023.

Three others, including government officials, were also named in the FIR for allegedly threatening, abusing and harassing the contractor.

Cheluvaraju also claimed in the complaint that he contemplated ending his life because of the repeated harassment.

The contractor has also released a purported audio recording of a phone conversation between him and Munirathna.

According to the police, the second FIR against the accused MLA was filed on the complaint of a BBMP corporator who alleged that Munirathna had hurled casteist abuse, and insulted his caste and family.

The third case was registered on September 19 against Munirathna and six others following the complaint by a 40-year-old woman who alleged that the rape took place at a private resort within the Kaggalipura police station’s jurisdiction.

While Munirathna said the allegations against him were "far from truth", the BJP called it the politics of vendetta.

"For the last 15 years, there have been no allegations by a contractor or from the public that Munirathna has used derogatory language. After the Lok Sabha polls and results, conspiracies have been planned against me," the MLA said. PTI