He was detained following a complaint filed by a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor Cheluvraj who alleged that the Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA had harassed and physically assaulted him.
Published Sep 15, 2024 | 1:23 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 15, 2024 | 4:56 PM
BJP's leader Munirathna thanking his followers after the victory in the RR Nagar assembly seat . (supplied)
The Bengaluru police will interrogate BJP MLA and former Karnataka minister Munirathna on Sunday, 15 September, after a local court remanded him to two days of police custody.
Munirathna was arrested by the Bengaluru police near Mulabagilu in the Kolar district in a joint operation with the local Kolar police.
The MLA was travelling to Andhra Pradesh via Kolar. He was detained following a complaint filed by a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor named Chelvaraju who alleged that the Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA had harassed and physically assaulted him.
Munirathna allegedly also insulted the modesty of the complainant’s mother by using derogatory, misogynistic remarks.
BJP leaders from the state, including Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly R Ashoka questioned the arrest and claimed that it was a political conspiracy.
Meanwhile, BJP’s Karnataka Unit Disciplinary Action Committee Chairman Lingaraj Patil served a notice to accused Munirathna on Saturday
In its notice, the BJP’s Disciplinary Action Committee stated: “An FIR has been registered against you in connection to the alleged derogatory remarks. A purported audio of making derogatory statements is being telecasted in the media.”
The Disciplinary Action Committee has asked Munirathna to reply to the notice in five days.
Additionally, following a complaint by corporator Velunayakar, police registered a second FIR against Munirathna over allegedly using casteist slurs against the former.
Following the complaint by a contractor, the police have registered an FIR against the BJP MLA for threatening the contractor under sections of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
He was produced before the Special Court for Elected Representatives in Bengaluru late at night on Saturday. Justice Santosh Gajanan Bhat remanded Munirathna to two days of police custody.
Seshadripuram Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Prakash will be investigating the charges against the accused BJP legislator who is lodged at the Ashok Nagar Police Station in Bengaluru.
According to police sources: “The police also collected audio samples from both accused Munirathna and complainant Chelavaraju, which will be sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for analysis.”
“Complaint had been directed to submit mother device pertaining to the alleged audio, where the BJP MLA threatened the contractor. We had asked for one-week police custody but the court remanded for two days,” added the sources.
Chelvaraju’s complaint stems from alleged harassment and casteist slurs by the BJP legislators over the latter demanding a hefty bribe in lieu of a contract with the BBMP.
He obtained a license as a contractor under the head of Ganga Enterprises and received a tender from BBMP for the management and disposal of solid waste from ward number 42 Lakshmidevinagar, on 5 August, 2019.
The collecting and disposing of solid waste are being done at the Late Devaraju Urs Truck Terminal in the Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly Constituency. Muniratna is the elected MLA of this segment.
In the first FIR against the BJP MLA, three other accused have also been named: Vijaykumar, who is a non-gazetted government official, Munirathna’s secretary Abhishek and one Vasanth Kumar.
Munirathna and his three other staff members have been booked under the sections 506 (Criminal Intimidation), 504 (intentional insult), 385 (putting someone in fear of injury to commit extortion), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) and 420 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
“MLA Munirathna’s gunman Vijayakumar telephoned and asked me to come to MLA’s office in Vyalikaval in the first week of September. When went to meet him, the MLA told me that he would provide 10 waste disposal vehicles and demanded ₹20 lakh for the same. After borrowing from my friends, I gave ₹20 lakh to the MLA’s gunman,” Chelavaraju alleged in the complaint.
“After two days, when I inquired about the vehicles, the MLA told me that he had written a recommendation letter to the BBMP’s Chief Commissioner to provide me with 10 additional vehicles. He also gave me a copy of the recommendation letter. In this episode, MLA Munirathna cheated me by getting ₹20 lakhs from me,” alleged Chelavaraju.
Continuing his allegations against the MLA Chelavaraju pointed out: “MLA Munirathna had asked me to turn up at his house in June 2023. I did not go to MLA’s home, fearing that he would demand a bribe again. The officials of the Solid Waste Management department had asked me to attend the meeting at MLA’s residence on 14 August, 2023.”
“After the meeting, the MLA took me to his chamber and demanded a bribe. I informed them that I was reeling under financial difficulties. Thus, I have not brought any money. He abused me and my family. He also directed his staff to write a letter to the BBMP’s Commissioner to change my contract,” the contractor said adding that he had thought of taking extreme steps over the harassment from Munirathna.
“In September 2023, MLA’s PA Abhishek asked me to visit MLA at his office. When I visited the MLA’s office the next day out of fear, he asked me how many years I had been working in this ward. I replied to him that for three years,” he added.
“For this, he replied that the total sum (bribe) will be ₹36 lakh for the three years. He demanded to pay ₹30 lakhs as a bribe immediately. Then I promptly said, I could not give ₹30 lakhs. But, I told him I could borrow ₹15 lakhs from somewhere and pay him,” the contractor said and added that MLA yet again abused him and his family.
“In September 2023, I was threatened to immediately meet MLA Munirathna. When I met him in fear, he asked me whether I had brought money. I replied that I had not brought it then, but would give it at the earliest.”
“He got furious and assaulted me. He further threatened that he would be an MLA for five years and would allow me to work if and only if his (bribe) demands were met. He said if I failed to obey, then he would terminate my tender,” Chelavaraju alleged.
“Further, the BJP MLA wrote a letter to the BBMP Commissioner asking to cancel my tender and invite tender for a short time within seven days on 16 November, 2023. Similarly, he has complained several times against my work before the officials concerned,” Chelavaraju said.
He accused Munirathna of harassing him for the past one year. Chelavaraju added that he was invited to nine wards contractors meeting at the MLA’s residence on 17 May, 2024.
“When I turned up for the meeting on 18 May, 2024, the MLA invited me to his chamber and demanded a bribe. I replied that I had not brought any money.”
The MLA allegedly insulted the modesty of a woman after the contractor failed to comply with his demands.
“He was enraged and abused me. He asked me to pledge my mother and get him money. His staff members Abhishek and Vijaykumar assaulted me,” alleged Chelavaraju.
Meanwhile, based on the complaint by former corporator Velunayakar, the Bengaluru City Police have registered a second FIR against Munirathna. The charges include caste-based atrocities, threatening, and insulting a woman’s modesty. This FIR was filed at the Vyalikaval Police Station on 13 September 2024.
On filing atrocity case against the BJP MLA, Former Corporation Velunayakar told South First: “It is not new from Rajarajeshwarinagar MLA Munniratna. All the contractors have exhausted due to the harassment of the BJP MLA. Around 90 percent of the contractors do no wish to work in Munniratna’s segment over various issues.”
“If any contractors get work order in Rajarajeshwarinagar constituency, he has to pay certain percent of commission without fail. He himself calculates and fixes the commission. If anyone fails to pay, he will not only abuse contractors and their family but also threaten them,” alleged Velunayakar.
Velunayakar added that this practice of demanding commission exists in Rajarajaeshwarinagar segment since he was corporator. “It became rampant after he was elected as an MLA. Contracotrs are not living in peace in his segment,” added the former corporator.
“He uses his staff effectively for such illegal activities. Whenever a contractor turns up at MLA’s residence, his staff carries out detailed inspection to such an extent that all electronic devices and even car keys are not allowed inside his chamber.”
“Chelavaraju was harassed badly by Munniratna for the past one year. He was enraged over his atrocities and showed spine to fight against corrupt MLA. It is known to even his party colleagues that he is corrupt and characterless,” he added.
“As he made castiest remarks on me, I have also filed a complaint as we have strong evidence against him. We have not done it intentionally instead to free from such corrupt MLAs. No corporators or contractors would dare to even raise voice against him, considering his frequent threats over bribe,” Velunayakar added that he trusts the law of the land.
On Munirathna’s arrest, Ashoka told reporters: “The arrest of MLA Munirathna is an act of political vendetta. The audio recording should have been sent to a lab to verify the voice of Munirathna. The police should have made the arrest only after proving that the voice was his. No one is above the law.”
“Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had alleged that the Governor acted immediately based on a complaint by TJ Abraham. That case is now in court, and we have not objected to it.”
“But in this instance, as soon as a complaint was filed, without proper inquiry or issuing a notice, the arrest was made. This is a hasty action, and the arrest was sudden,” charged Ashoka.
He continued: “The BJP gaining significant lead in the Lok Sabha elections in Rajarajeshwari Nagar is also a reason for this (arrest). If the audio clip had been sent to the FSL for verification and then action was taken, no one would have questioned it.”
“Everyone knows this was pre-planned. MLA Munirathna has stated that he did not make any castiest slurs, and this has not been proven. In cases like this, proper investigation should be conducted before taking action.”
“The BJP is not afraid, no matter how many cases the government files. The government is now scared. Every day, news of extortion and corruption is coming out in the media. This is why they are engaging in such acts of political vendetta,” the Opposition leader lashed out at the Congress government.
Meanwhile, former minister and MLC CT Ravi told reporters that Muniratna was not facing ordinary people but up against those who have power in politics, money, and all aspects.
“There is a conspiracy and an attempt to politically end his career. Without having primary information (on the case), I will neither defending him (Munniratna) nor leaving him alone,” Ravi added.
Hitting out at the Congress government, he recalled: “In the Nalapad assault case, the Congress government protected him. In the case of the assault by Hunagund MLA Vijayananda Kashappanavar, there was also an effort to protect him.”
“No protection is needed; neither should there be bias nor favouritism. Let there be a fair investigation; if he is indeed guilty, let the law take its course,” stated Ravi.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil)
