Bengaluru, Nov 6 (IANS): BJP MLA and former minister N. Munirathna on Monday claimed that he was being wrongly implicated in the murder case of a senior woman geologist.
After the murder came to light, the Congress party alleged his role in the crime.
Speaking to reporters, MLA Munirathna maintained that attempts are being made to send him to the Tihar Jail to ensure his absence during the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
"I am even blamed for the accidents that take place in front of my residence. Since the investigation of senior geologist Prathima murder case is underway, it would be inappropriate to comment on it," he stated.
"Once the investigation is over, I will speak to those who want to finish me off politically," MLA Munirathna maintained.
Congress spokesperson and Legal Cell Secretary Surya Mukundraj had demanded that the role of MLA Munirathna be probed.
"Without taking license, the boulders were blasted in Hunasamaranahalli. The deceased officer had prepared a report and submitted it to the District Commissioner. A complaint was also lodged with Chikkajala police station in Bengaluru and MLA Munirathna is the second accused in the case. Suryamukundraj had urged that the murder should be investigated from all angles and Munirathna issued a notice and probed," he had stated.
However, a day after Prathima, a deputy director of the Mines and Geology Department, was found dead at her residence in Doddakallasandra in the state capital, the police on Monday said her former car driver had been arrested.
The senior geologist, who worked as the deputy director in Bengaluru Rural district, Prathima (45), was found murdered at her residence on Sunday.
She was strangled to death and her throat was slit.
Jurisdictional Subramanyapura police, who launched a probe quickly, made three arrests based on the suspicion and one of them, former driver Kiran turned out to be the alleged killer, police said.
The accused worked on a contract basis and was sacked from the job last week.
He was alleged to have been leaking critical information and movements of the officials.
Prathima had questioned and slammed him.
However, Kiran did not mend ways and continued to leak information, hence he was sacked, police stated.
The accused nursed a grudge against Prathima and decided to kill her.
He knew that Prathima lived alone at her flat.
On Saturday night, he managed to sneak inside her flat and strangled her to death. He also slit her throat, as per the police.