Why rape case against Halappa can''t be probed by CBI? Karna HC

Bangalore, Feb 8 (PTI) Karnataka High Court today soughtthe state government''s response on a petition seeking a CBIprobe into allegations of rape made against former ministerJ Halappa.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice J S Khehar andJustice A S Bopanna directed the government to furnish itsviews on the matter by March 8.

The direction came during the hearing of an appeal filedby the Karnataka State Human Rights Commission (KSHRC) prayingfor vacating the stay issued on its petition seeking CBIinvestigation.

"A (former) minister is involved in this matter. Itshould be probed by some other agency where no control can beexercised by the State. It will be a fair message to thepublic from the Government," the bench observed.

It sought to know whether the state was not inclined tohandover the case to the CBI. "If it is not keen, we will hearyou," the bench said.

The SHRC had lodged a suo motu complaint against Halapppain connection with allegations against him of rapingChandravathi, wife of his friend Venkatesh Murthy, last year.

Subsequently, SHRC had suggested that the matter behanded over to CBI for investigation. However, the state hadmoved the High Court which granted a stay in this connection.

The state had contended that since Corp of Detectives(CoD) was already investigating the matter there was no needfor a CBI probe into it.

Halappa was forced to resign as the Food and CivilSupplies Minister following the allegation of rape levelledagainst him by Murthy.

The former minister was arrested and later granted bailin June 2010.