File photo of BJP leader and BJP MLA Munirathna
Credit: DH File Photo
In fresh trouble for BJP MLA Munirathna, Ramanagara police have booked him for raping a social worker on multiple occasions over a two-year period.
This is the third criminal case against the RR Nagar legislator since September 13. The civil contractor-turned-film producer-turned-politician was arrested on September 14 and is currently in judicial custody.
The third FIR, filed on September 18, is based on a complaint from the 40-year-old social worker, who accused Munirathna of repeatedly raping her between 2020 and 2022 and coercing her into participating in a criminal conspiracy. She also claimed he forced her to watch CCTV footage of his sexual assaults on her and used another woman to honey-trap the husband of a former corporator.
Kaggalipura police have invoked IPC sections related to rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, criminal intimidation and extortion among other offences. Six others — Vijay Kumar, Sudhakar, Kiran Kumar, Lohith Gowda, Manjunatha and Loki — are also named for abetting the criminal conspiracy.
On Thursday, the woman underwent a medical examination as part of the police investigation. Police plan to have her statement recorded before a magistrate.
According to the FIR, Munirathna first contacted the victim by WhatsApp in 2020. He later met her near Muthyalanagar and befriended her.
"He soon began sending me good morning and good night messages, as well as romantic songs. He would frequently video-call me and and pour his heart out," she told the police.
One day, Munirathna allegedly asked her to strip during a WhatsApp video call, which she refused.
A few days later, he called her to a warehouse in Muthyalanagar, where he made "sexual advances". When she spurned his advances, he allegedly boasted about his political power and told her that she would need to make "such compromises" to enter politics. He then threatened to implicate her in a false case and raped her, the FIR notes.
The woman also claimed that Munirathna showed her CCTV footage from the warehouse, threatening to morph her images and leak them if she did not comply with his demands.
Further, the FIR states that Munirathna coaxed her into assisting him in honey-trapping a former corporator’s husband with the help of another woman, who he later said had HIV. He even tried to honey-trap the former corporator's son.
The woman further alleged that Munirathna forced her to create obscene videos of his political rivals and police officers to use for blackmail.
In another incident, Munirathna allegedly asked her for a "last favour" to ruin the reputation of another woman.
With the help of four other suspects named in the FIR, the MLA organised a birthday party, where this woman was also invited. He asked the complainant to befriend her, get her number and invite her to a resort. During three separate trips in different resorts, Munirathna's team allegedly recorded private videos and photos of the woman, and tried to frame her in a drug case, according to the FIR.