SIT questions woman in Jarkiholi case again

Bengaluru: A day after appearing before the Karnataka high court, the woman in the alleged sex video underwent a medical examination at Bengaluru’s Bowring Hospital on Wednesday

Bengaluru: A day after appearing before the Karnataka high court, the woman in the alleged sex video underwent a medical examination at Bengaluru’s Bowring Hospital on Wednesday. The woman, who was in hiding since March, recorded her statement before a judge in the Chief Metropolitan Court complex on Tuesday.

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A senior police officer familiar with the case said that a series of tests, including the rapid antigen test, was conducted during her visit. The samples were sent to the Forensic Sciences Lab, the officer said.

She arrived at the hospital around 11.30 am, accompanied by tight security. Around 4 pm, she left for the Technical Centre in Adugodi for questioning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). “She is currently giving a statement and voice samples to the SIT. The questioning was limited to the 376 C (sexual intercourse by a person in authority),” said KN Jagadish Kumar, the lawyer of the woman.

When asked if she will be questioned regarding the extortion case filed by former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, the lawyer said no such information has been given to them by the SIT. “The accused in this case, who has filed a case with the Sadashivanagar police, has not mentioned my client in the complaint. So, there is no need to question her. If they have to question her, a complaint should have been filed against her,” the lawyer said.

A top SIT official said that the woman was questioned on the basic details of the case such as how she came in contact with the former minister, what job offer did he make and who gave her the ministers number etc. He also added that more clarifications have sought on the statements she made in the video released last month and her alleged conversation with the former minister.

Jarkiholi who has been giving multiple statements to reporters, remained unavailable for comments after the woman gave a statement before the high court. His number was not reachable when HT tried to contact him for a comment.

Meanwhile, Karnataka home minister Basavaraj Bommai on Wednesday slammed the Congress party for criticising the probe and said it will not influence the investigation in any way as the SIT was functioning in accordance with the law.

“SIT will have to do in detail all round inquiry systematically. There is a set criminal procedure code for it and accordingly, it has to be done and they are doing it. No one can intervene in it, so I will also not comment on it,” Bommai said.

“They (Congress) will have to look back and see what they had done while in power. We are doing things in accordance with law because ultimately everything has to be established in the court of law,” he added.