Bengaluru, Oct 19 (IANS) Karnataka BJP Vice President Haratalu Halappa has accused School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa of being behind a sting operation that allegedly targeted him, claiming that he was among the first victims of such operations in state politics.
Hartalu Halappa was at the centre of a major political and criminal controversy in 2010 after being accused of sexual assault, leading to his acquittal in 2017.
Halappa, a close aide of Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa, resigned following a report in a Kannada daily alleging sexual misconduct. Halappa and Madhu Bangarappa belong to the same Ediga community and hail from Shivamogga district.
Speaking at Anavatti village in Soraba taluk of Shivamogga district on Monday, Halappa alleged that Madhu Bangarappa was the mastermind behind the sting operation and challenged him to deny the charge.
“I was the first victim of a sting operation. I swear before God at a temple that the person behind the sting operation was Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa. The present Education Minister is the father of sting operations,” Halappa alleged.
His remarks come amid an escalating political controversy over alleged sting operations targeting political leaders in Karnataka. The Central Crime Branch (CCB) police are also investigating the matter.
Halappa further alleged that the woman who had complained in the case was unwilling to file a formal complaint against the minister. He claimed that a DNA test could have led to the minister’s imprisonment if the woman had pursued the matter.
Alleging that 192 phone calls had been made to the woman from the minister’s residence over six months, Halappa said the details of the calls could be disclosed publicly at an appropriate time.
“Let the Education Minister stop speaking about former chief minister B.S. Yediyurappa and focus on informing people about the development work we have done. We remember the days when we were sent to jail, and we will never forget them. No matter what anyone does, we will not spare anyone this time,” he warned.
Halappa said he would reveal details of the calls, including their frequency and the calls received in return, before television cameras when the time was right.
Halappa said he had resigned as an MLA after serving for four-and-a-half years, rather than completing a full five-year term, with the intention of forming a new political party. He later joined hands with former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to continue working in politics.
Referring to earlier legal cases involving himself and Yediyurappa, Halappa said they had fought their cases through the courts and secured justice.
“We have not forgotten the days we spent in jail or the conspiracies through which we were imprisoned. We will never forget those days. This time, there is no question of sparing anyone,” he said.
He alleged that some people were unaware of how false cases had been filed against them and maintained that he and Yediyurappa had fought and won against false cases through legal proceedings.
–IANS
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