BJP MLA Munirathna sent to 14-day judicial custody in rape case

Mangalore Today News Network

Bengaluru, October 5, 2024: A court here on Saturday remanded the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator N. Munirathna Naidu from R.R. Nagar constituency in Karnataka – arrested in connection with a rape and honey trapping case – to judicial custody for 14 days.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) produced MLA Munirathna before the court on Saturday as his police custody ended. Munirathna will be lodged at the Central Prison in Bengaluru till October 19.

Munirathna’s counsel requested the court to allow him home-cooked food at the Bengaluru Central Jail. The court directed the counsel to approach jail authorities regarding the same.

The Kaggalipura Police in Ramanagara district had filed an FIR against Munirathna on Thursday following a complaint by a woman social activist.

The victim claimed in her complaint that Munirathna 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 claimed that she was forced to honeytrap people in different private resorts.

"The BJP MLA forced me to carry out honey traps. He had threatened to kill me to get this job done," the victim stated in her complaint.

Kaggalipura Police had lodged a criminal case on September 18.

Karnataka Congress leader D.K. Suresh alleged that Munirathna was trying to infect his adversaries with HIV and that the government should investigate the matter.

Suresh said: "A network of people led by Munirathna was conspiring to infect enemies with HIV. The government must investigate all those who are part of the network."

The SIT probing charges against Munirathna Naidu, including allegations of rape, honey-trapping, and other offences, last Saturday conducted raids at his residence and 15 other locations across the city.

The team is examining documents, electronic devices, and other materials related to the rape and honey-trapping case. The SIT is being supported by experts from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), with Superintendent of Police (SP) Sowmya Latha also participating in the search and inspection at Munirathna’s Vyalikaval residence.

According to sources, the raids were triggered by information provided by the victim, who alleged that Munirathna recorded footage of sexual assaults and used it to blackmail politicians and public servants, including IAS and IPS officers.

The MLA was initially arrested on charges of giving a life threat and issuing derogatory remarks against Dalit community. He was transferred from Bengaluru Central Jail to the CID office on the night of September 24.

The BJP legislator, however, has denied all the allegations, claiming they are false.