Karnataka honey-trap row: No complaint registered yet, says G Parameshwara

On the issue of phone tapping, the Karnataka Home Minister said that he has verified with the concerned department but no complaint has been registered.

Amid the recent honey-trap controversy, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said that no complaint had been registered in connection with the alleged case.

G Parameshwara (HT Archive)

"So far, no complaint has been registered yet," Parameshwara said according to news agency ANI.

Further, on the issue of phone tapping, the Karnataka Home Minister said that he has verified with the concerned department but no complaint has been registered.

"No one has filed a complaint with me so far. Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, has also made a statement. I have verified with the concerned department that no complaint has been registered yet," he said.

Reacting to Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar's recent statement on the Constitution, Parameshwara said, "Shivakumar has already clarified that his statement has been twisted."

Karnataka Minister KN Rajanna claimed he was a victim of a honey trap attempt and said, "Today, I am going to file a complaint by meeting the Home Minister in person."

On Monday, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a PIL seeking an independent probe by the CBI or SIT into the alleged honey trapping of legislators, public servants, and judges in Karnataka.

The plea filed by a Jharkhand resident, Binay Kumar Singh, sought an independent probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or a Special Investigation Team (SIT) comprising police officers who are not subject to the control or influence of the State of Karnataka.

The petition, filed through advocate Barun Sinha, urged the apex court to monitor the investigation either by the apex court or by a monitoring committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.

Earlier, cooperation minister KN Rajanna alleged that 48 people have fallen victim to "honey traps" in the state, and their obscene videos have been circulated. The Congress MLA claimed that the list was across party lines, including state and national leaders.

"There were very serious and troubling allegations made on the floor of the Karnataka state legislature that a person aspiring to be the chief minister of the state has been successful in honeytrapping several persons, amongst whom are judges. The allegations have been made by a sitting minister who has claimed himself to be a victim, thereby lending credibility to the serious allegations," the petition read according to ANI.