The Bengaluru police registered an FIR against BJP MLA Munirathna after a 40-year-old woman party worker alleged that she was gang-raped, urinated on the face and injected with a deadly virus by the legislator.
The FIR registered at RMC Yard police station on Tuesday states that the incident occurred at Munirathna’s office in Mathikere on June 11, 2023. The victim alleged that she was taken into the MLA’s office by his associates, three among whom have been named in the complaint, and the identity of the fourth accused remains unknown.
Woman’s harrowing claims
The woman alleged that Munirathna and two of his associates forced her to strip despite repeated pleas and threatened to kill her son if she did not oblige. The BJP MLA then allegedly instructed two of his associates to rape the victim and also urinated on her face when she was being sexually assaulted.
She further alleged that Munirathna injected her with an unknown substance using a syringe, which was allegedly given by his associates. The BJP leader also threatened not to spare her or her family if she disclosed the assault to anyone, the FIR stated.
The woman said she suspects the MLA of having injected her with a “virus” after she was diagnosed with an incurable disease in January this year.
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She also narrated an incident before the alleged assault when Munirathna allegedly influenced some individuals to register false cases and got her arrested. After her release, the MLA’s accomplices met her and assured her that Munirathna would help clear the charges, and under that pretext, she was allegedly lured back to his office.
On May 19, she consumed pills due to mental distress caused by the assault and fell ill, but subsequently decided to report the matter to police.
According to the police, the FIR against the BJP MLA and others have been filed under sections 376 D (gangrape), 270 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life), 323 ( voluntarily causing hurt), 354 (Assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 504 (Intentional insult to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation), 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.
(With inputs from PTI)