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Rediff.com  » News » BJP's Ramesh Jarkiholi says sexual harassment videos fake

BJP's Ramesh Jarkiholi says sexual harassment videos fake

Source: PTI   -  Edited By: Utkarsh Mishra
March 09, 2021 15:28 IST
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Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, who had stepped down as minister on March 3 following allegations of sexual harassment against him, said on Tuesday that the videos purportedly showing him with a woman were fake and vowed to send the 'conspirators' behind bars.

 

IMAGE: Ramesh Jarkiholi. Photograph: Shashidhar Byrappa/ANI Photo

"I am innocent. This CD (video clips) are 100 per cent fake. There is no doubt about it," Jarkiholi told reporters.

The Gokak MLA's claim came two days after social activist Dinesh Kallahalli withdrew the police complaint against him, alleging he had sexually harassed a 'job aspirant' and threatened her and family with dire consequences.

State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai, reacting to the MLA's claim, told reporters that a case had already been registered
against him and the government would proceed as per the law.

Jarkiholi had resigned his post of Water resources minister on March 3 after protests by opposition parties and several sections of society over purported video clips showing him getting intimate with an unidentified woman was aired by Kannada news channels.

The MLA alleged that a major conspiracy was hatched against him four months ago in Yashwantpur and Hulimavu areas in Bengaluru and the woman projected as the victim was offered Rs 5 crore.

A 'big leader' was involved in the conspiracy to finish him off politically, he alleged, but declined to name the person.

Jarkiholi said he did not take serious note of the high command's warning to him 26 hours before the videos were leaked and later aired by some channels , to remain alert, as he had not indulged in any such activity.

Besides thanking Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa, he expressed his gratitude to former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy and his brother and MLA H D Revanna, for standing by him during difficult times.

An emotional Jarkiholi said his family's honour had been damaged due to the charges and vowed to send the conspirators behind bars.

"I will not spare them," he said.

Jarkiholi, who was earlier with Congress, was among the chief architects in causing the downfall of the Congress-Janata Dal (Secular) coalition government that eventually paved the way for the BJP to come to power.

To a question, he said his decision to resign was entirely personal, as he did not wish to damage the image of the government which he had helped install in the state.

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Source: PTI  -  Edited By: Utkarsh Mishra© Copyright 2024 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.
 
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