This Article is From May 12, 2010

Police want DNA, voice test for Halappa in rape case

Shimoga: The police investigating the rape charge against former Karnataka minister Halappa moved a local court on Wednesday seeking its permission to subject him to a DNA test.

In an application filed before the Judicial Magistrate First Class, Ravikanth, the CID also sought its nod to conduct a voice test on Halappa as his friend Venkatesh Murthy's wife Chandravathy has claimed he had made threatening calls not to reveal the alleged rape incident.

In another development, the court adjourned till Thursday the hearing of a plea by authorities to shift Halappa from the Mc. Gann hospital here to the state-run Bowring Hospital in Bangalore for treatment.

Halappa was hospitalised within hours of his arrest last week after he complained of chest pain.

Medical Superintendent of the district hospital Mahendrappa in a letter to the Jail Superintendent suggested that Halappa be shifted to Bangalore. The CID have filed an application before the court on the matter.

The court posted to June 8 the hearing of a petition filed by Sumitra, estranged wife of Venkatesh Murthy, whom she has accused of commiting bigamy.

Murthy has alleged Halappa had raped his wife Chandrawathy in November last. Halappa resigned as minister after a newspaper carried a report of the alleged incident which he has dismissed as baseless.
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