A case of kidnapping has been registered against former minister and Bharatiya Janata Party MLA M Munirathna and his associates for allegedly coercing a Congress worker to joining the party, Nandini Layout police inspector J Lakshman said on Thursday.

The police quoted the complaint, which was filed by Samuel, Congress party worker and a painter hailing from Lakshmidevi Nagar on Wednesday, as stating that he was allegedly lured to MLA Munirathna’s associates, identified as Suresh, Vasanth, Wasim, and Seena, to Rajkumar’s tomb under false pretences and subsequently escorted to the MLA’s office in Vayalikaval. He further stated that he was detained for two days and subjected to intimidation tactics in a bid to compel him to defect to the BJP.

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Lakshman said, “Following the complaint by Samuel, we have registered a case against Munirathna and four others under IPC Section 363 (kidnap), 504 (intentional insult), and 506 (criminal intimidation). The investigation is ongoing, and we are collecting CCTV footage to ascertain the facts.”

However, MLA Munirathna has denied the accusations and said that the allegations of coercion and intimidation are baseless. He said, “Samuel himself came to me and told me that Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister again, and CN Manjunath should become an MP. Our party would welcome anyone who wishes to join the party.”

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The BJP MLA criticised the police for registering an FIR “without conducting any investigation, aiming to hinder my campaigning for the BJP in the Bengaluru Rural Constituency elections. This intimidation tactic is reminiscent of what happened in Kanakapura before.”