Bengaluru BJP MLA Munirathna faces gang rape charges, urinating on woman's face: Report

According to the complainant, the incident occurred nearly a year ago inside Munirathna’s constituency office near JP Park in Bengaluru's Mathikere.

Bengaluru police have registered a shocking case against BJP MLA and former Karnataka minister Munirathna, who now stands accused of orchestrating the gang rape of a 40-year-old woman, allegedly injecting her with a virus, and urinating on her face, Deccan Herald reported.

Munirathna is a two-time MLA from the Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency.(HT File)

The allegations, which surfaced in a first information report (FIR) filed at the RMC Yard police station on Tuesday, have triggered demands for a thorough probe. 

The incident, according to the complainant, occurred nearly a year ago on June 11, 2023, inside Munirathna’s constituency office near JP Park in Mathikere, the report further added.

The woman, who is reportedly associated with the BJP, has named Munirathna and three of his aides, Vasantha, Channakeshawa, and Kamal—in her complaint. According to the DH report, She alleges that Vasantha and Kamal lured her to the MLA’s office in a Toyota Innova, promising help in quashing criminal cases she was facing. Once there, she says, she was physically overpowered, stripped, and threatened with the murder of her son if she resisted.

Victim claims MLA urinated on face

The complainant claims that Munirathna incited Vasantha and Channakeshawa to rape her while he watched. Following the assault, she alleges that Munirathna urinated on her face in a final act of humiliation. 

Her statement to police also details a disturbing moment when an unidentified man handed Munirathna a white box, from which he reportedly took a syringe and injected her with an unknown substance, threatening to ruin her family if she spoke out, the report added.

The FIR further mentions that the woman had previously been arrested in what she claims were fabricated cases registered at the Peenya and RMC Yard police stations, allegedly at Munirathna’s behest. After her release, she says the same aides once again approached her, promising political protection.

Her health deteriorated over time, and she was admitted to hospital earlier this year. According to her, doctors confirmed the presence of a virus in her system, which she believes was linked to the mysterious injection. On May 19, overwhelmed by trauma, she consumed pills in a suicide attempt, leading to further complications.

The police have registered the case under a string of serious sections of the Indian Penal Code.

Munirathna, a two-time MLA from the Rajarajeshwari Nagar constituency and a former minister in the previous BJP government, has not responded publicly to the latest charges at the time of publishing.