The Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Tuesday filed a complaint with the Enforcement Directorate in Bengaluru against BJP leader and former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi alleging his involvement in money laundering in connection with the 'sex for favours' CD scandal in the state.
In the complaint, Congress alleged that crores of rupees were exchanged in connection with the CD that was eventually leaked to the media.
The complaint asks the Enforcement Directorate to investigate claims that Rs 5 crore, Rs 20 crore and Rs 100 crore was exchanged in connection with the CD in question.
"In a press conference on March 9, Ramesh Jarkiholi said that this is a conspiracy to frame me and Rs 5 crore, Rs 20 crore and Rs 100 crore was demanded from him," a Congress member told the media after the complaint was filed.
This comes after former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah demanded in the Karnataka Assembly that a rape case be registered against BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi.
The Leader of the Opposition Siddaramaiah also demanded a court-monitored probe. "I demand a rape case under section 376 of the IPC be registered against Ramesh Jarkiholi otherwise we can't do justice to the woman," Siddaramaiah said.
Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said there were contradictions in the complaint filed by a social activist which hampered proceeding further in the case. However, he insisted that the government was doing its best to provide security to the woman, missing now, once she was located.
The Minister's response did not satisfy the Congress, whose members raised slogans against the government leading to adjournment of the House for the day.
Jarkiholi, BJP MLA from Gokak, resigned as minister on March 3, after a social activist lodged a police complaint in Bengaluru alleging sexual harassment by the minister on a job aspirant. Video clips of the minister and the woman were widely shared in news channels and social media in the state.
Rejecting the charges, the BJP leader claimed innocence, saying the videos were fake. Social activist Dinesh Kallahalli, who filed the police complaint against Jarkiholi, withdrew it later.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy had earlier mentioned that there was a Rs 5 crore deal related to the CD.