BJP MLA Munirathna gets interim anticipatory bail in case filed by BBMP contractor

Bengaluru: Bengaluru court has granted conditional interim anticipatory bail to BJP MLA Munirathna in a complaint filed by BBMP contractor Cheluvaraju.

On September 13, Bengaluru's Vyalikaval police registered two FIRs against Munirathna. Crime number 121/2024 was based on Cheluvaraju's complaint, and accused Munirathna and three other individuals of cheating, extortion, criminal intimidation and voluntarily causing hurt.

The second FIR (Crime number 122/2024) was based a complaint by former BBMP corporator M Velunayakar. It invoked IPC sections related to promoting enmity between different groups and outraging the modesty of a woman, and making casteist slurs under the Prevention of Atrocities Act.

On September 14, police arrested Munirathna in the case filed by Velunayakar. He is currently in judicial custody. However, he was not arrested in the case filed by Cheluvaraju.

On Wednesday, the special court for cases involving elected representatives granted Munirathna bail in the first case, filed by Cheluvaraju. The court also granted bail to another suspect named Vasanth Kumar.

The court ordered that Munirathna and Kumar be released on bail on executing a personal bond for Rs 1 lakh each with one surety for the like sum in the event of their arrest by the police. The court imposed conditions that the petitioners shall not abscond or destroy the evidence or threaten or influence prosecution witnesses. They shall appear before the investigating agency as and when directed to do so and cooperate in the investigation in accordance with law, the court ruled.

Further, the court stated that the petitioners shall mark their attendance before the respondent police every second Sunday of the month between 9 am and 5 pm for three months or till filing of the charge sheet, whichever is earlier.

The court said that the petitioners shall not indulge in a similar offence nor they shall commit any act which would hamper the peace and tranquility in the locality and shall not leave the jurisdiction of the court without obtaining prior permission from the court.