A CD was released to news channels on Tuesday, in whichKarnataka Major and Medium Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarakiholi could beallegedly seen with a woman in a compromising position.
The CD has been released at a time when the BJP isgearing up to face elections in five states/UT, and just two days ahead of themonth-long Budget session is scheduled to commence in Karnataka from March 4.
The CD was released by social activist Dinesh Kallahalliafter he filed a complaint with Bengaluru City police commissioner Kamal Pant.
After filing the complaint, Kallahalli told reportersthat he has sought help from the police to know the veracity of the contents ofthe CD and some audio clips, in which a 'powerful minister' is threatening thevictim and her family members.
"I also sought police protection for the victim andher immediate family members as they are living under 'tremendous'threat," he said.
All throughout his media interaction, he was careful notto take anyone's name. According to Kallahalli, the victim met the minister(Jarkiholi) on the pretext seeking his help to create documentaries on damsacross the state.
"For this she wanted government clearance for dronecameras and other special equipment. During the interaction, the minister(Jarkiholi) told her that instead of running around, she could well beappointed in the Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL). From here on, hestarts seeking sexual favours from her. Finally she also yielded, but prior togetting close to him, she set up a trap and the whole episode was recorded byhidden cameras," he explained.
Kallahalli maintained that the victim is not ready tocome forward and file a case fearing her and her family's safety. "Fed upwith the minister's harassment, one of the family members approached me sometime ago and urged me to take up this case by filing a complaint in order toteach the minister a befitting lesson," he claimed.
According to Kallahalli, he is going to keep the victim'sname under the wraps until 'she gathers some courage' to face the people andthe media.
On repeated queries on which minister he filed thecomplaint against, Kallahalli said that in the CD it is very clear who theminister is. "Why do you want me to take his name," he asked.
Answering to a question as to whether the CD was a partof blackmail tactics, he said if it was part of a blackmail strategy, why wouldhe approach the police commissioner to file a complaint?
"In my complaint, I have also requested the commissionerof police to investigate the blackmail angle, as this involves a powerfulminister in the state," he said.
Jarakiholi comes from one of the most powerful politicalfamilies in the state and is a sugar baron from Belagavi district, the state'ssugar belt.
He is one of the 17 defectors from the Congress and theJD(S) whose defection resulted in the collapse of the Congress-JD(S) governmentin the state in 2019, leading to the formation of the BJP government. He wasone of the primary forces behind rallying 17 MLAs from both the parties beforethey joined the BJP.