Rape-accused Karnataka ex-minister’s blood test ordered
By IANSFriday, May 21, 2010
BANGALORE - A magistrate’s court in Shimoga Friday permitted a blood test to be conducted on former Karnataka minister Haratalu Halappa, and directed him to give a blood sample for it.
Halappa is alleged to have raped his friend’s wife in Shimoga, about 270 km from here, in November last year.
The sample was demanded by the Crime Investigation Department of the Karnataka police that is probing the charges against Halappa and wants to conduct blood and DNA tests on him.
Halappa, who is in hospital in Bangalore for treatment of asthma, vertigo and heart problems, had earlier refused to give a sample.
Halappa is in judicial custody till May 24. He resigned as food and civil supplies minister May 2 and surrendered to the police in Shimoga, his home district May 9 after failing to get anticipatory bail.
The former minister has moved the high court for bail and the plea is likely to be heard May 24.
Chandravathi, wife of Venkatesh Murthy, a financier in Shimoga, had complained to the police that Halappa invited himself to a dinner at their house Nov 26, 2009. He stayed back for the night and raped her after sending out her husband late in the night to get medicines.
