Police inspector arrested for conspiring with Munirathna to infect Ashok with HIV-tainted blood

munirathna

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the alleged crimes of RR Nagar BJP MLA, Munirathna, on Thursday arrested police inspector Iyan Reddy, currently posted at Hebbagodi police station, for allegedly conspiring with Mr. Munirathna to infect the Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly . Parliament and former Revenue Minister R. Ashok’s blood is infected with HIV.

The alleged incident took place in 2020, when the by-election in RR Nagar constituency was postponed due to an election petition questioning Mr Munirathna’s election by BJP leader Tulasi Muniraju Gowda in 2018.

Mr. Munirathna had switched from Congress to BJP in July 2019 along with 16 others who toppled the Janata Dal (S)-Congress coalition government. While elections to the remaining seats were held in December 2019, bypoll to RR Nagar seat was postponed.

The complainant in a rape case filed against Mr. Munirathna had alleged that the MLA used an HIV-infected woman to honeytrap his rivals and tried to infect Mr. Ashok with HIV-infected blood.

Velu Nayakar, a former councilor and colleague of Mr. Munirathna who is now at loggerheads with him, issued a statement saying that Mr. Iyan Reddy and Mr. Munirathna tried to persuade a youth to stick a needle into Mr. Ashok in his presence. He was infected with HIV during his (Mr. Ashok’s) birthday celebrations in July 2020.

Mr. Nayakar claimed that he then advised the youth to run away and not get involved in this crime, and ultimately the plan did not come true.

The SIT tracked down the said youth and recorded his statement before a magistrate; here he reportedly said that Mr. Iyan Reddy and Mr. Munirathna had indeed tried to persuade him to infect Mr. Ashok with HIV-infected blood.

Following his statement, the SIT arrested Mr. Iyan Reddy on Thursday. He was charged with criminal conspiracy to murder Mr. Ashok.

Mr. Munirathna, who was arrested in the rape case, is currently out on bail.