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Karnataka ‘sex for favours’ scandal: Cong seeks rape case against ex-minister, resignation of 6 ministers

"I demand a rape case under section 376 of the IPC be registered against Ramesh Jarkiholi otherwise we can't do justice to the woman," Siddaramaiah said.

Karnataka sex for favours  scandal: Cong seeks rape case against ex-minister, resignation of 6 ministers-dnm
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Bengaluru, First Published Mar 23, 2021, 2:35 PM IST

With the sex-for-job CD row continuing to be a bone of contention between the ruling BJP and Opposition, Congress legislators in Karnataka Assembly have demanded the registration of a rape case against former BJP minister Ramesh Jarkiholi.

The Leader of the Opposition, who also demanded a court- monitored probe, claimed the woman in a video message had said she was "utilised" and thus it would amount to rape. "I demand a rape case under section 376 of the IPC be registered against Ramesh Jarkiholi otherwise we can't do justice to the woman," Siddaramaiah said.

Minister Basavaraj Bommai said there were contradictions in the complaint filed by a social activist which hampered proceeding further in the case. However, he insisted that the government was doing its best to provide security to the woman, missing now, once she was located.

Raising the issue in the Assembly, Congress leaders Siddaramaiah, DK Shivakumar, HK Patil, and KR Ramesh Kumar maintained that the six Ministers had lost moral right to continue in power after approaching the court.

Shivaram Hebbar, BC Patil, ST Somashekar, K Sudhakar, KC Narayana Gowda and BA Basavaraja (Byrathi) had moved a local court earlier this month and got an injunction.

“As I understand the law, there’s no cause of action at all,” Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah said in the Legislative Assembly. “Their (petition) mentions that there are 19 other (sex) CDs that may be released. On this ground, they say there is the cause of action. It’s an imaginary accusation. Without any evidence or provocation, they got the injunction,” he added.

Jarkiholi, BJP MLA from Gokak, resigned as minister on March 3, after a social activist lodged a police complaint alleging sexual harassment to a ''job aspirant'' and video clips purportedly showing their intimate moments surfaced. Rejecting the charges, the BJP leader has claimed innocence, saying the videos were fake and vowed to send the ''conspirators'' behind bars.

Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli, who filed the police complaint against Jarkiholi, had withdrawn it later.

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