Court reserves order on BJP MLA Munirathna’s bail plea

PTI, Sep 18, 2024, 8:32 PM IST

BJP MLA N Munirathna (credit: PTI / File)

Bengaluru: The Special Court for MLAs/MPs here reserved its order on BJP MLA N Munirathna’s bail plea until Thursday.

Counsel Surya Mukundaraj, representing the complainant, argued on Wednesday that granting bail could lead to the destruction of evidence, particularly since the incident occurred on the premises of the legislators’ office. He urged the court to deny bail.

Senior Counsel Ashok Harnalli, representing Munirathna, currently held at central prison here, countered that the complaint lacked details about when the alleged abuses took place, dating back to 2015.

He contended that the notice should have been issued under Section 41A of CrPC (notice of appearance before a police officer), arguing that the charges against Munirathna do not apply in this case, and therefore bail should be granted.

After hearing both sides, the court reserved its ruling.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara told reporters that if forensic tests confirm that Munirathna’s voice matches the audio clip, in which casteist slurs were allegedly made, the government would take action.

The voice sample has already been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for analysis.

Munirathna, a former minister, was arrested on Saturday after two cases were registered against him.

Munirathna, who represents Rajarajeshwari Nagar Assembly segment here, was picked up from Nangli village in Kolar’s Mulbagal on charges of harassing a Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike contractor for bribe, casteist slurs against a former corporator, and also cheating, criminal intimidation and insulting a woman’s modesty.

The contractor Cheluvaraju, who is one of the complainants, has also released a purported audio recording of a phone conversation between him and Munirathna, in which the latter had allegedly made derogatory comments in reference to individuals from Vokkaliga and Dalit community.