Rape-accused Halappa is spending his time in a luxury hospital, but the victim and her family are being treated like a criminal

[Global Cocnern]

Rape-accused Hartal Halappa is spending his time in a luxury hospital,
but the victim and her family are now realising exactly what it means
to be
socially ostracised.

Chandravati, her husband Venkatesh Murthy and their two children have
had to move house three times since May 2, when she accused former
minister
Halappa of rape.

"No one is even willing to rent their houses to us. When we do manage
to
get one, society turns against us," Murthy told Bangalore Mirror.
"Though we
are the victims, we are being treated like criminals. People look at
us with
suspicion even now. My wife is still in shock and does not come out of
the
house at all."

CHILDREN BEAR THE BRUNT:
Their children have not been spared either. "My son studies in the
tenth
standard and daughter in the fifth. The pain they are undergoing is
tremendous. Our family life has been disturbed by bringing the truth
out in
the open. Halappa's people have got my first wife to file a complaint
against me even though I had reached a settlement with her," he adds.

THE GOOD LIFE:

Halappa, on the other hand, spent a month in hospital after his arrest
and
hasn't been to jail even for a day. He continues to stay in a luxury
hospital after getting bail.

"Halappa is in an AC room, but we have nowhere to go," Murthy said.
"My
last resort is to go back to my ancestral home in a village near
Thirthahalli. But the situation will probably be the same there. I
have been
summoned to Bangalore six times so far. They are questioning us but
not the
accused. I am beginning to doubt whether we will ever get justice,"
Murthy
said.

THE BACKGROUND:
CHANDRAVATI AND her husband Venkatesh Murthy had filed a case against
Hartal
Halappa (right) on May 2. Halappa went underground and surrendered
days
later. However, he complained of medical problems and stayed in
Victoria
Hospital till the High Court granted him bail on June 24. He continued
to
stay in the hospital for a week before shifting to Manipal Hospital.

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