Karnataka water resources and irrigation minister Ramesh Jarkiholi has stepped down after his name figured in a 'sex for favours' scandal.Sources said that Jarkiholi had been asked to step down to save the party from embarrassment ahead of the by-elections in the state and the assembly elections in other states.Sources also said that Ramesh had been assured that his place in the party will remain intact.A sexual harassment complaint was filed against Ramesh following which a video clip showing him in a compromising position with a woman also emerged.
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The video clip was aired on Kannada news channels on Tuesday.The police complaint filed at the Cubbon Park police station accuses Jarkholi of allegedly luring a woman to the guesthouse on the pretext of offering her a job at the Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited and misbehaving with her.Activist Dinesh Kallahalli filed the complaint on behalf of the family who, he claims, were threatened by the minister. The complaint was handed over to Bengaluru Police Commissioner Kamal Pant.
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Jarkiholi, meanwhile, has denied all charges and announced that he will quit politics if the charges were proved to be true.Speaking to media persons earlier, Jarkiholi said: "I am shocked myself. I am appealing to the chief minister for a detailed inquiry. I don't know anything. I don't know about the CD. I don't know about the girl. It is a fake video. Let there be an inquiry and in case I am at fault, let there be an action against me. I am ready.""I will resign from my MLA post and quit politics if these allegations are proven against me."
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