Shivakumar is behind sextape case: Jarkiholi

On Monday, the BJP Gokak legislator said the woman, who was at the centre of the controversy and made allegations against him, and her accomplices including two people from Mandya should be arrested to bring out the truth in the case.

Ramesh Jarkiholi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator who had resigned as Karnataka minister over an alleged sex-for-job scandal in 2021, on Monday accused Congress state president DK Shivakumar of hatching a conspiracy against him, and demanded an inquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against the “racket” behind it.

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On Monday, the BJP Gokak legislator said the woman, who was at the centre of the controversy and made allegations against him, and her accomplices including two people from Mandya should be arrested to bring out the truth in the case.

“I demand that the state government should hand over the case to CBI. The girl should be arrested along with her accomplices, including two people from Mandya, whose names I will disclose before CBI,” Jarkiholi said while addressing a press briefing in Belagavi.

The former water resources minister also alleged that Shivakumar tried to spoil his personal life and that he has evidence to prove that the Congress leader was behind it.

“DK Shivakumar is unfit to be a politician. No one should spoil someone’s personal life. I never made personal attacks,” he said.

According to Jarkiholi, there are several sleaze videos of many politicians, including Congress leaders and top bureaucrats of the state, which are used for blackmailing.

“This is a very serious matter because many people have been honey trapped including Congress leaders and top officers who are being blackmailed. I urge the state government to hand over the case to the CBI,” Jarkiholi said. “I have 120 pieces of evidence. I am not releasing them here. The matter has to be investigated by CBI…Shivakumar ruined my life. I had to suffer without committing any mistakes.”

Shivakumar, who was in Srinagar to attend an event on the culmination of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, was not available for comments. The Congress has also not reacted to Jarkiholi’s allegations.

Talking about his relationship with Shivakumar, the BJP leader said they were good friends but their relationship was ruined by a rural legislator. Jarkiholi made indirect references to Congress Belagavi Rural MLA Laxmi Hebbalkar alleging that she was also part of the conspiracy, while calling her a “vishakanye” (venomous woman).

Addressing a press conference, Hebbalkar’s brother Channaraj Hattiholi, also a Congress leader, said: “It is easy to make allegations. Instead of levelling charges and speaking lies, if you (Jarkiholi) make documents and evidence public, we will give you a reply.”

Jarkiholi also claimed on Monday that he was aware of the sex video more than three months before it was made public. He alleged that since he did not yield to their blackmail to make him work according to their wishes, it was released. “Although Shivakumar tried to make a truce, claiming he was not involved in the conspiracy, I knew about his involvement and now the evidence I have will prove it,” he said.

In March 2021, Jarkiholi resigned as the minister over the sex-for-job scandal, days after a video purportedly of the leader emerged, and the woman in the video claimed the minister promised her job. The Special Investigation Team probing allegations of rape against Jarkiholi has filed a ‘B’ report in the case, stating there is no evidence to prove the charge or the other allegations made against him. The report was submitted in February 2022.

Ramalinga Reddy, working president of the Karnataka Congress, said Shivakumar will give the answer. “This is an allegation involving DK Shivakumar, the president will give an answer,” he said.