The Karnataka High Court has dismissed a petition filed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Munirathna, challenging the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe three criminal cases against him.

The cases include allegations that Munirathna demanded a bribe from Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) contractor Cheluvaraju and threatened to terminate a waste disposal contract if the payment was not made.

Another case involves accusations that he hurled casteist slurs at the contractor, who claims he was subjected to threats and harassment from 2019 to 2024. The third case pertains to allegations of rape.

In September 2024, the Congress-led Karnataka government set up an SIT to investigate the matter. Munirathna contested this decision in court, arguing that the SIT’s formation was flawed and that the extortion complaint was delayed, as the alleged incidents date back to 2019.

However, on March 7, Justice M. Nagaprasanna dismissed his petition, ruling that it lacked merit. The Court noted that the contractor had accused Munirathna of ongoing harassment until 2024, making the delay argument untenable.

It also found no irregularities in the SIT’s constitution, stating that merely drawing members from various sources did not invalidate the investigation team.

"Merely because the Government order refers to a SIT of the CID, it does not mean that it gets vitiated on account of other teammates in the SIT being drawn from other sources... In all, the petition is meritless," the Court observed.

Senior Advocate Ashok Haranahalli represented Munirathna, while Additional Advocate General Pradeep CS and Additional State Public Prosecutor BN Jagadeesha appeared for the State.