BENGALURU: BJP MLA Munirathna was handed over to the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Tuesday. The SIT is probing three criminal cases registered against the Rajarajeshwari Nagar MLA.
The SIT on Monday had sought the custody of Munirathna, who was lodged at the Bengaluru Central Prison, and the court listed the hearing to Tuesday. The Special Court to try cases against sitting and former MPs/MLAs granted his custody to the SIT for a period of 12 days (till October 5). The MLA was produced before the court virtually.
The SIT headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) BK Singh took over the files of the three cases on Monday. Of the three cases, two cases were registered against the MLA by the Vyalikaval police on September 13 and a rape case was registered by the Kaggalipura police of Ramanagara district on September 18.
The State Government constituted the SIT on Saturday owing to concerns of threatening the witnesses and destruction of evidences. On the same day, the Yeshwanthpur police had registered an FIR against Sunandamma, a close associate of the MLA, on charges of threatening the son of a key witness in the rape case. This case might also be taken by the SIT for further probe, sources informed.