Leader of the opposition in Karnataka assembly Siddaramaiah has demanded that former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was embroiled in a sex scandal, be booked for rape. The Congress leader, who raised the issue of the scandal in the assembly on Monday, alleged that the state government was trying to "cover up" the case by appointing a special investigation team which has been asked to focus only on the "conspiracy" and people behind the CD.
"The aggrieved woman has claimed she was misused by the minister in her video statement, which is enough grounds for the police to register a case under Section 376 (Rape) of Indian Penal Code against Ramesh Jarkiholi. The terms of reference for the SIT probe is wanting as the complaint of the aggrieved woman or her parents have been considered in the probe. We demand the case be investigated by an independent agency monitored by the Chief Justice of the Karnataka High Court," said Siddaramaiah, even as the Opposition Congress rejected Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai's reply to the House and rushed to the well in protest.
Earlier, Siddaramaiah alleged the police had registered the case filed by Ramesh Jarkiholi but not of the aggrieved woman. "Jarkiholi sent the complaint alleging political conspiracy to tarnish his image through an envoy, which is legally untenable. Yet, the FIR was registered but the woman's video clearly indicated that a cognizable offence had been committed as she alleged the minister had misused her. This makes it clear there was no consent of the woman and this amounts to rape," said the former chief minister.
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Mocking at the government for failing to trace the woman in the CD even after 20 days, Siddaramaiah said the probe remains one-sided as the government is not keen to find the victim (woman).
KPCC chief D.K. Shivakumar demanded that the veracity of the CD should be probed. "A routine investigation would have revealed if the CD is fake, morphed or tampered. Did the police raid Jarkiholi's house, take possession of his phone, ascertain if the voice in the CD was his? There have been charges of money changing hands - for making the CD, purchasing flats for the aggrieved woman. The Enforcement Directorate should probe the matter as it is a case of money laundering too."
Slamming Jarkiholi's claim that he had been honey-trapped, Shivakumar said, "Who was relishing the honey? Now, did the Congress leaders ask you to get undressed, talk politics, call Yediyurappa the most corrupt chief minister, or bad-mouth Kannadigas and praise Marathis (in the bedroom conversation)?”
The Congress members also demanded the resignation of six ministers who brought an interim injunction fearing loss of reputation after Jarkiholi's CD surfaced on March 2. "What do they fear? They have taken the oath of secrecy as ministers and vowed to discharge their duties without fear or favour. Why did they seek an injunction and not file a police complaint? If they are afraid of a fabricated CD ruining their reputation, it can happen to any leader here. But not everyone is seeking an injunction from the court," mocked Siddaramaiah.
In his reply, Home Minister Bommai defended the SIT. "This is a case of moral propriety and criminal conspiracy. The SIT will probe into all the FIRs and complaints, even those filed after it was constituted. The 22-member SIT headed by Soumendu Mukherjee has five teams searching for the woman, who is on the run. The teams looked for her in Goa, Delhi, Bhopal and Belagavi. We cannot register an FIR based on a video statement (of the woman) as there should be a direct and written complaint signed by the complainant as per the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. The woman has sought protection and we have sent notice to her home, PG accommodation and also on her social media accounts, to appear before the SIT or at least reveal her location so that we can send the team with a lady constable to record her statement and give her protection. The SIT is recording the statements of 11 persons linked to the case, and scanning through the bank transactions."
