K’taka govt to order SIT probe against jailed BJP MLA

Bengaluru, Sep 21 Karnataka government has decided to order a Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigation against BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu from RR Nagar constituency in Bengaluru who is facing charges of rape and honey trapping, sources confirmed on Saturday.

The government will shortly issue an order forming the SIT and senior IPS officer B.K. Singh will be heading the unit. Sources said that all the cases against Munirathna will be probed by the SIT. Separate cases have been lodged against him in connection with using casteist slurs against Dalits and the Vokkaliga community and issuing life threats to a contractor.

Vokkaliga MLAs have briefed Chief Minister Siddaramaiah over the matter and stated that many more victims will come forward against BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu and there is a need for a special mechanism to deal with the developments in the case. The SIT is also likely to open a helpline for the victims to come forward and lodge cases against MLA Munirathna.

Senior IPS officer B.K. Singh also headed the SIT which probed the sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna.

On Friday, Karnataka MP D.K. Suresh alleged that arrested BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu is trying to infect his enemies with HIV and that the government should investigate the matter.

Suresh said, “A network of people led by BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu was conspiring to infect enemies with HIV. The government must investigate all those who are part of the network.”

A special court here on BJP MLA Munirathna Naidu, arrested in a rape case, to judicial custody for 14 days till October 5.

MLA Munirathna Naidu was arrested in Bengaluru on Friday after a woman social activist filed a complaint alleging rape and criminal intimidation. The Kaggalipura Police took the MLA into custody immediately after he came out of the Bengaluru Central Prison.

The court on Thursday had granted him bail in two other cases registered at Vyalikaval police station over allegations of atrocity and issuing life threats.

Earlier, Muniratha Naidu was jailed on charges of issuing life threats and using casteist slurs against a contractor. The Special Court had allowed Munirathna Naidu’s bail plea on Thursday in these cases.

The Kaggalipura Police in Ramanagara district had filed an FIR against Munirathna Naidu on Thursday following a complaint by the woman social activist. The victim stated in her complaint that she was introduced to Munirathna Naidu in public life. He developed closeness by making calls to her over mobile. He had taken her to a godown owned by him in Mutyalanagara and raped her.

The complainant had also stated that he recorded the act and threatened her that if the matter came out, she would be dealt with severely. The victim also claimed that she was forced to honeytrap people in different private resorts.

“BJP MLA forced me to carry out honey traps. He had threatened me with life to get this job done,” the victim stated in her complaint as per sources.

Source: IANS