Mysuru: The anticipatory and interim bail pleas of Mr C.B. Murthy and his wife Nalina Murthy, the in-laws of a senior retired IAS officer’s daughter who has accused them of dowry harassment, abetment to rape and attempt to murder, was put off to Monday by the Fourth Additional and District Judge on Saturday.
The retired IAS officer’s daughter has accused Prabudh Harsha Murthy, the eldest son of the Murthys – owners of Basappa Memorial Hospital, of raping her while she was eight months pregnant and attempting to murder her.
Advocate Arun Kumar, who appeared for the Murthys, argued that the case is an offshoot of a civil case lodged by Prabudh over a property dispute. He said that Mr C.B. Murthy, who has immovable properties worth over Rs 65 crore and has a majority stake in a 220-bed hospital, would not flee the country as he does not have a passport. Mr Murthy should be given bail considering that he is 75 years old, he said.
The public prosecutor said that the accused should not be released on bail as he might exert his political and financial power to influence the case.
Mr Arun Kumar argued that the complainant alleged that she was raped on November 11, 2014 during her eighth month pregnancy, but on November 13, 2014, she went for a check-up by senior gynaecologist Dr Damayanthi, who reported that the 34-week baby was normal. The public prosecutor said that it is not necessary that foetus is harmed in such cases. Mr Arun Kumar said that the victim’s husband, who was studying Hospital Administration Management course in Apollo Hospital, failed to complete it.
He married the victim after his first marriage failed, and his parents made him sign a deed relinquishing 5 % of his share of the property on September 24, 2007. After the fight between the brothers on November 11, 2014, Murthys moved out of their house and had taken a rented house near BM Hospital, he said.
Victim’s husband was removed from the hospital director’s post on Jan. 7, 2015, and he had filed an injunction against it, but it was not granted. Captain Arvind Sharma, the advocate for the victim’s husband in the injunction case, said that as no notice was sent to his client, the Registrar of Companies had issued a showcase notice against B.M. Hospital.
Mysuru Police Commissioner's transfer is routine: Chief Secretary
Mysuru Police Commissioner Mohammed Abdullah Saleem on Saturday was transferred and posted as Additional Commissioner, Traffic, Bengaluru. Mr. Saleem has replaced IGP B. Dayanand. Mr. Dayanand has been posted to Mysuru in place of Mr. Saleem.
Chief Secretary Kaushik Mukherjee told this newspaper that Mr Saleem’s transfer is routine and has nothing to do with the Mysuru rape case. “Some transfers were in the offing along with Mr. Saleem’s. They are routine transfers,” he said.
Mr Saleem himself sought transfer a few days ago as it was two years since he served in Mysuru, sources said. Mr Saleem was posted to the city in July 2013. He had served as DCP (Law and Order) for eight months in 1997-1998 in Mysuru.
Woman ASP to head probe?
The government is all set to change the investigating officer in the Mysuru rape case, sources told DC. A woman Assistant Superintendent of Police, under the IGP (Southern Range), is likely to head investigation. She will replace Assistant Commissioner of Police Umesh Ganapathi Sait, they said.
But Mr Sait said he had not received any official information. “We have intensified search for accused, and we may arrest them any time soon,” he said.
