Former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi caught in the sex-for-job scandal is now facing the risk of arrest as the woman in the CD has sent a written complaint to the Cubbon Park police station in Bengaluru through her lawyer, accusing the BJP MLA of rape and criminal intimidation.
On Friday, almost 24 days after the CD surfaced on social media forcing Jarkiholi to resign as the minister, the woman who is still in hiding, released a third video statement thanking the people and leaders for supporting her.
"I gathered the courage to file a complaint against Jarkiholi as I am getting the support from people, political leaders and various organisations. My life is in danger," she stated in her complaint.
The Cubbon Park police have filed an FIR under the Indian Penal Code Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 376 (sexual assault), 417 (Cheating), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (criminal intimidation) and IT Act 67A (transmission of material containing sexually explicit act). The police has also issued a notice to the complainant through her lawyer asking her to appear in person for investigation.
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A series of video statements being released by the woman from an undisclosed location has caused a huge embarrassment to the Special Investigation Team headed by Soumendu Mukherjee probing the case as they are unable to trace her.
Two days back, the woman had released a second video statement expressing apprehension over the SIT being neutral. "I had sent a video statement to the police commissioner on March 12. But it was released the next day, on March 13, after Jarkiholi lodged a complaint. This has brought me to doubt the intent of the SIT, as I now suspect they might be favouring Jarkiholi," the woman had claimed. She had also sought protection for her parents.
In a handwritten complaint sent through the lawyer, the woman has narrated her circumstances under which she had met Jarkiholi. "I came to Bangalore in search of job and for the first time met Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was a minister, regarding a documentary film. He had taken my mobile number and later called me several times and inquired about my family too. He started calling frequently and promised to get me a government job and I should return the favour by co-operating with him. I believed him.”
The complainant alleged that the minister had made video call and told her he was staying at Delhi's Karnataka Bhavan. "He asked me to undress and show him my private parts and I obliged. He started mouthing vulgar words. After he returned to Bangalore, he invited me to his apartment and took me to his room and indulged in sexual act. This happened twice and I was scared to protest as he is a powerful man. When I asked him about the government job, he avoided the topic and told me I could take some money from him instead and the job could wait."
Alleging that Jarkiholi was upset when she finally confronted him, the complainant stated, "I asked him why he was denying me a job after using me. He was angry and called me a prostitute and told me that government job was out of question for people like me and asked me to leave. The next thing I see is that our audio conversations and video of our sexual act being telecast in the TV channels. This was a ploy of Jarkiholi from preventing me from lodging a complaint against him," she claimed.
Claiming that her life was under threat, the woman has sought protection to her self and her family. "He is trying to prevent me from reaching the police station to file my complaint by using the police department. He is tarnishing my image so that no one comes forward to support me. I am pained to see that people who are trying to support me are being harassed. I am unable to come on person. So I am sending the complainant through my lawyer Jagadish. My parents have attempted suicide unable to take the pressure due to the mental harassment I am enduring. I urge the police to protect us," said the woman.
Jarkiholi made counter-allegations against the woman and said he was unperturbed by the charges. "I have the power to topple a government and install a new one. I will not be cowed down by anyone or any CD. I knew this would happen (she would complain)... after all, she is a girl who agreed to exhibit her body before the whole world. My game will start from tomorrow. I will not seek a bail too. I appeal to the police commissioner to consider my FIR before taking up her complaint. I reiterate it is a big political conspiracy to malign me. The SIT has recovered Rs 10 lakh from the house of the kingpin of the conspiracy," claimed Jarkiholi.
