Nityananda, Hallappa sleaze scandals rock Karnataka in 2010

PTI

Bangalore, 25 December 2010: Sleaze scandals involving self-styled godman Nityananda and minister Haratalu Halappa rocked the Yeddyurappa-led BJP government in Karnataka that had to face criticism not only from the public but also from the Opposition which sought to put the government on the mat.

 

Nityananda, who had a huge fan following not only in India but abroad and has a sprawling ashram in Bidadi in Bangalore rural district, not only outraged public sensibilities but had religious heads across the country crying foul when his sleaze act with a Tamil actress was aired on a regional channel by his former disciple.

 

No sooner than Nityananda dismissed it as a "duplicate CD and a conspiracy by some other seers who were jealous of his fame to malign him", he went into hiding with the police launching a manhunt for him. He was ultimately nabbed on April 21 in Himachal Pradesh and was granted bail after over 50 days of police and judicial custody.

 

With CID filing a chargesheet against him and four of his associates under various IPC sections including rape and unnatural sex, and a woman witness deposing before the Investigating Officer saying she was repeatedly raped by Nityananda not only at his ashram but also in other parts of the country, there is more trouble ahead for him.

 

A criminal petition filed by Nityananda seeking quashing of the two FIRs including rape against him is still pending before the Karnataka High Court.

 

Arrest of Halappa, minister of food and supplies, who resigned in the wake charges of alleged rape of his friend’s wife in Shimoga, dented the BJP’s image in the state.

 

Earlier Yeddyurappa’s repeated statements supporting Halappa saying he was "innocent" and could not indulge in such an act only aggravated the matter and bowing to pressure from the Opposition, media and the public, he ordered a CID probe into the matter. He was subsequently granted conditional bail by a Shimoga court.

 

Medical Education Minister Ramachandra Gowda’s resignation over the scandal pertaining to alleged irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of 375 para- medical staff in Mysore and Hassan Medical Colleges, damaged the image of the BJP government further.

 

With the high court rapping the government for "totally bungling up" the selection of candidates with the selection committee and the governing council members themselves at a loss to explain what was the criteria for judging the candidates and the marks that were given to them, it became almost clear, who was at fault.

 

In a significant verdict, the court struck down the state government order unilaterally cancelling appointments of para medical staff in two colleges on grounds of irregularity in recruitment and ruled that the order be read as show cause notices and stated that the appointed staff could resume their duties but will not paid salaries till a decision is take on their appointments.

 

IT & BT minister Katta Subramanya Naidu’s resignation in the wake of Lokayutka’s FIR against Naidu and his son for "illegal gratification of Rs 87 crore paid to a benami company" in the names of the duo, added to the woes of the BJP government.

 

The administration of the Bangalore Development Authority came under attack when a major fire broke in Carlton Towers building on the famous M G Road which housed many firms, killing nine persons and leaving over 50 injured. The fact that the building on one of the busiest roads failed to comply even with basic requisite conditions including safety measures raised a number of questions.

 

The dramatic arrest of People’s Democratic Party leader Abdul Nasser Madani, one of the accused in 2008 Bangalore blasts from his orphanage-cum-madrassa complex at Anwarssery in Kerala, was a feather in the cap of the BJP government. His bail was rejected by the session court and subsequently the high court and he was in judicial custody.

 

It was justice delayed but not denied when after a five-year long trial, cab driver Shivakumar responsible for the gruesome rape and murder of BPO worker Pratibha was sentenced to life imprisonment till death by a fast track court here. For Pratibha’s mother, who had been fighting a lone  battle seeking justice, it was some consolation.

 

In yet another sensational case involving the murder of Intel software engineer B V Girish by his fiancee Shubha, a court awarded life sentence to four.

 

Undeterred by the verdict, all the four filed criminal appeals in the high court challenging the order which were dismissed and the order of sentence upheld.

 

The other judgement that hogged the limelight was the acquittal of Bharati Urs, daughter of former Karnataka chief minister Devaraja Urs and two others of the murder of high- profile Chitralekha Urs, daughter of a former high court judge, by a fast track court.

 

After three years of trial, the court in a 70-page judgement observed that prosecution had failed to establish that the three accused had hatched a conspiracy to murder Chitralekha and thereby acquitted them.