Karnataka BJP MLA Munirathna taken into police custody over harassment, bribery and casteist abuse

In the first FIR filed by BBMP (Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike) contractor, Cheluvaraju, he accused the MLA of demanding Rs 30 lakh as a bribe and threatening to terminate his contract if he did not pay the amount.

In his complaint, he alleged that initially, Munirathna had demanded Rs 20 lakh in 2021 from him over a solid waste disposal contract. However, despite making that payment for getting 10 auto trippers for a waste management contract, he was not sanctioned those vehicles by the civic body.

According to the FIR, Cheluvaraju was being repatedly harassed by the MLA who allegedly verbally abused him and also physically assaulted him. In the complaint, he further alleged that the MLA did not allow him to execute his work and had even slapped him in September 2023.

Along with the MLA, three others, including government officials, were also named in the FIR for allegedly threatening, abusing and harassing the contractor.

He also alleged that because of the repeated harassment, he even thought of ending his life, it said.

Cheluvaraju has also released an audio recording of a phone conversation between him and the accused MLA.

According to police, the second FIR has been filed against the MLA on the complaint of a BBMP corporator who alleged that the MLA hurled casteist abuse, insulted his caste and family. The MLA allegedly asked Chaluvaraju not to associate himself with the corporator because of his caste.

The FIR was registered under SC and the ST (prevention of atrocities) Act and other sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, police added.

Later, Munirathna in a video statement said that the allegations against him are "far from truth".

"For the last 15 years there have been no allegations by a contractor or from the public that Munirthna has used derogatory language. After the Lok Sabha polls and results, conspiracies have been planned against me," he said.

Noting that on receiving a complaint about Rs 15 lakh irregularity every month in Devaraj Urs Truck Terminals Ltd, he wrote a letter seeking probe and from that day conspiracies against him started, the MLA said, "anyone's voice can be created...the technology is advanced. Their intention is to send me to jail." "I knew bad days were awaiting me after the Lok Sabha poll results. It is a joint operation by the person who lost against me (Kusma H of Congress) in Assembly polls and D K Suresh (of Congress) who lost against Dr Manjunath (BJP candidate in Bangalore Rural Lok Sabha segment). Contractor Cheluvaraju has been used for it." Alleging that the complainant has filed atrocities cases against 20 people so far, Munirathna said, he has not made any derogatory comment or spoken against Vokkaliga and Dalit community or people belonging to it.

Taking a dig at the BJP, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah took to social media platform 'X' and alleged "leaders @BJP4Karnataka who talk about rituals and culture first clean the mouth of your MLA Munirathna and tell the town. BJP's slogan that we are all Hindus is only limited to the election season".

Citing the alleged viral audio, he said,"Munirathna insulated the Dalit and Vokkaliga community in the most obscene manner, demanded money and threatened to kill the contractor if the money was not paid. All these are crimes of very serious nature".

"BJP state president @BYVijayendra and leader of Opposition @RAshokaBJP who stand in front of the media and preach about the law and order of the state, do they have the courage to stand up and speak in front of their own hooligan MLA Munirathna?," the CM asked.

"Now BJP leaders are left with two options. One is to support Munirathna's statement and admit that they are anti-Dalit or to publicly apologise to the Dalit community of the country and expel him from the party," he added.