SIT led by B.K. Singh to probe cases against Munirathna 

The MLA has been remanded into 14-day judicial custody and shifted to Parappana Agrahara Central Prison

The Karnataka government on Saturday formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) within the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe all cases against Munirathna, R.R. Nagar BJP MLA, presently facing three cases and is accused of rape, honey trap, blackmail, criminal intimidation, and use of casteist slur. 

B.K. Singh, a 1996 batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer presently posted as Additional Director General of Police (CID), who has led SIT probes into the murders of Gauri Lankesh and M.M. Kalburgi and recently the alleged sex crimes of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, has been appointed as the chief of the newly-formed SIT. 

Labhu Ram, Inspector General of Police (Central Range), Sowmyalata, SP (Railways), Bengaluru and C.A. Simon, SP rank officer, have been appointed as members of the SIT. 

A delegation of Vokkaliga MLAs and Ministers led by Krishna Byre Gowda and M.C. Sudhakar had petitioned Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a SIT into the alleged crimes of Munirathna on Friday. The order constituting the SIT said all the three FIRs against Munirathna would be transferred to SIT and further said that all future cases that may be registered against the MLA will also be transferred to SIT. 

Meanwhile, the Kaggalipura police, who arrested Munirathna in a rape case on Friday, produced him before the Special Court of Magistrate for criminal cases against former and present MPs and MLAs on Saturday. However, as they did not seek his custody, he was remanded in 14 days judicial custody and shifted to the Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara.

Munirathna had walked out of prison on Friday on bail in a case of criminal intimidation, only to be arrested in the rape case moments later. The police did not seek Mr. Munirathna’s custody as the case is being transferred to SIT, sources said. Meanwhile, Munirathna’s counsel had moved for bail in the rape case on Friday. The hearing in the case is listed for Monday. 

Published - September 21, 2024 09:45 pm IST