Arrested Karnataka ex-minister admitted to hospital

BANGALORE - Former Karnataka minister Haratalu Halappa, arrested Sunday in a rape case, has been admitted to a government hospital in Shimoga after he complained of chest pain, police said.

“Halappa has been admitted to a government hospital after the magistrate ordered the jail authorities to provide necessary medical assistance to the accused, who complained of chest pain while in the custody of the state Crime Investigation Department (CID),” Shimoga Superintendent of Police S. Murugan told IANS.

Halappa was formally arrested after he surrendered to the CID and was presented before the local magistrate Sunday night. His anticipatory bail application has been posted for hearing at the sessions court Monday.

Halappa, 49, resigned May 2 as food and civil supplies minister after he was accused of raping Chandravathi, the wife of his friend Venkatesh Murthy, at Shimoga on the night of Nov 26-27, 2009.

The CID served a notice on Halappa May 6 to appear before its inquiry team by May 10 for interrogation.

The Shimoga police had registered the criminal case against him May 4 on a complaint by the victim a day earlier.

“Halappa reported at the office of the district superintendent of police at 2.30 p.m. for deposition in response to our notice served at his residence in his absence. He was taken into custody and interrogated on the basis of the victim’s complaint,” a CID official told IANS from Shimoga earlier.

Halappa was quizzed on the various charges levelled against him, including rape, wrongful confinement and criminal intimidation.

Shimoga is some 270 km from here.