Munirathna bail hearing put off to Wednesday

NT Correspondent Bengaluru: The hearing for the bail plea by BJP MLA from Rajarajeshwari Nagar Munirathna Naidu in a rape case was adjourned to September 25 by a special court. The Special Court for MPs and MLAs also asked officials to issue a notice to the victim. The special prosecutor S Pradeep requested the court that he be given time to respond to the bail application. On the same day, former corporator Velu Naik and Dalit leaders met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and requested protection for the rape victim, alleging death threats by Munirathna’s supporters. On Friday, a woman had filed a complaint with the Kaggalipura Police Station last Friday, alleging rape by Munirathna. The following day, he was sent to judicial custody by the special court in the rape case. Munirathna is also facing another case for threatening the life of a Dalit contractor. Last week, a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor Cheluvaraju registered a complaint with the Vyalikaval police station, alleging that Munirathna had demanded a bribe from him, threatened his life upon payment of only a part of the bribe and hurled casteist abuse.

Cong alleges ‘biological warfare’: Karnataka Congress on Monday repeated the charge that Munirathna was purposefully infecting political enemies with the HIV, terming it biological warfare. Congress MLA from Kunigal Dr HD Ranganath demanded that the issue must be probed. “Not just in Karnataka but in India, this is the first time biological warfare is being used. We have seen such (biological warfare) being used in Syria, Iraq and Iran. It is shocking that an attempt to start an epidemic was made. This is painful,” he said.

On Friday, a woman had filed a complaint with the Kaggalipura Police Station last Friday, alleging rape by Munirathna. The following day, he was sent to judicial custody