Bengaluru: While addressing a public gathering in Karnataka’s Surathkal in September 2021, hardline Hindutva activist and self-proclaimed Sangh leader Chaitra Kundapura said that if “Hindus start to convert Muslim girls, the entire process will just take two days until there will be no burqas left in these households”.
“We will apply vermilion on the forehead of daughters of every Muslim household,” she reportedly said.
According to a police complaint by local Congress leader Bondala Chittaranjan Shetty and businessman Abdul Khader, she then went on to “misuse Tulunadu heroes Koti and Chennayya” in her “provocative speech using vulgar, unparliamentary words”.
This, ThePrint has learnt, is among the many complaints that the Bengaluru Police are now investigating against Kundapura, who was arrested last week for allegedly tricking a BJP functionary into paying Rs 5 crore while promising him a ticket to contest the assembly polls held this May.
“She has around 11 cases and we’re making a summary of all of them,” a senior police officer told ThePrint, not wanting to be named.
On 11 September, the Bengaluru Police arrested Kundapura, known for fiery pro-Hindu speeches, on the back of a complaint by BJP functionary Govind Babu Poojary. The case allegedly involved a nine-month long ruse played out by paid actors and a religious leader.
Seven people, including Kundapura, have been arrested in the case. Police are still hunting for another suspect, a religious leader identified as Abhinava Halashree Swamy.
According to a senior officer of the Bengaluru Police, all police stations that have cases registered against Kundapura have been asked to put in a request for her custody. The idea, the officer said, is to ensure that she remains in detention for one reason or another even if she manages to secure bail in the alleged cheating case.
On his part, Bengaluru Police Commissioner B. Dayananda has refused to reveal much about the investigation. Speaking to reporters Saturday, he said “all those involved in this will be arrested and law will take its course”.
However, he confirmed to ThePrint that all of Kundapura’s previous cases are being investigated, adding that absconding suspect Abhinava Halashree Swamy is on the run but would be caught soon.
Religious leader still on the run
According to a First Information Report — filed on 8 September — Poojary accused Kundapura and the other suspects in the case of using paid actors to pose as important leaders of the RSS. The suspects allegedly boasted of connections in high places — such as the prime minister’s office and the Supreme Court — and promised to secure him a ticket in the 10 May Karnataka assembly polls.
Since her arrest last week, Kundapura has spent at least two days in Bengaluru’s Victoria Hospital over what was later reported to be an epileptic attack.
“We are probing into her history. We know that there were small charges against her earlier but this is a big and sensitive case,” another senior police officer of Bengaluru Police told ThePrint.
Another officer told ThePrint absconding suspect Swamy was constantly “changing his hideouts”.
The religious leader’s capture appears significant for the case — according to officials, it was his name that caused the case to be transferred from Bandepalya, where the FIR was originally registered, to Bengaluru’s Central Crime Branch, a wing dedicated to investigating serious and sensitive cases.
“Poojary handed in his complaint on 8 September. As soon as we got wind that a seer (religious leader) and this pro-Hindutva leader was involved, we decided to take over the case. Moreover, a local station does not have the kind of resources to dedicate for such cases,” the second officer told ThePrint.
As she was being escorted out of the CCB’s office last Thursday, Kundapura reportedly told reporters: “When the seer is arrested, the truth will come out. The names of big persons will come out.”
The BJP has distanced itself from Kundapura, with former chief minister Basavaraj Bommai telling reporters last week that the party had no connections with her. The RSS hasn’t publicly commented, but a functionary had previously told ThePrint that she could not have been associated with the all-male organisation.
There are several audio recordings of Kundapura speaking with or about senior RSS, BJP and other leaders, a police source said.
“She can name anyone but until we have probed the matter, we are not going to name anyone,” said the first officer to be quoted.
(Edited by Uttara Ramaswamy)
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