Ramesh Jarkiholi accuses DK Shivakumar of ‘creating’ sex tape controversy

Former Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi on Saturday alleged the involvement of Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar in the ‘sex for favours’ CD row that the former is embroiled in. Addressing the press in Bengaluru’s Sadashivanagar on Saturday, Jarkiholi alleged that the state Congress President attempted to tarnish his name. Jarkiholi, who was booked in the ‘sex for favours’ tape on Friday, addressed the press conference after a purported unauthenticated recording of a telephonic conversation between the woman and her family members had surfaced, in which she can be heard talking about going to DK Shivakumar's house to meet him. The conversation in the purported audio clip is said to have taken place on the night (March 2) the sex CD was leaked to television channels.

 

“I have 11 pieces of evidence that support my stance. The woman’s parents have also pinned the blame on DK Shivakumar, which is the biggest evidence. Let the investigation take its course, let the police punish whoever is guilty. I have never cheated anyone and I am certain about that,” Jarkiholi said. 

 

In the conversation with the womans' family members including her brother and mother, Shivakumar's name has been referred a couple of times as the woman tries to repeatedly convince her family members that she was safe and the video and audio clips aired on television were fake, morphed and voice modulated. When he was asked to speak in detail about the evidence, Jarkiholi said that all the pieces of evidence are being preserved and will be submitted to the authorities investigating the case. He said that people like DK Shivakumar who “stoop down” to such levels should not be in politics and sought his resignation. Jarkiholi also said that he will fight back while heading to Belagavi for an election rally. Watch what he said: 

 

DK Shivakumar denies links

 

Congress’s DK Shivakumar has denied any links to the woman. He said he has never met the woman in the tape involving former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi. He told the media that it was true that he was “keeping tabs” on Jarkiholi when some senior Congress leaders were defecting from the party (during 2019 political turmoil leading to collapse of Congress-JD(S) govt) to know about their movements, Shivakumar said, "but this (alleged sex CD) is his (Jarkiholi) personal matter."

 

After the audio clip was released, the woman purportedly issued a fifth video statement, where she confirmed the audio conversation, saying that she had gone to meet Shivakumar, but could not. The woman said she got scared when the sex tape was aired by news channels and got in touch with a person named Naresh, who works in the media, for help. The man then advised her to seek state Congress President DK Shivakumar's help, using the contacts he has. “I had gone to the Congress leader's residence along with Naresh but was unable to meet him,” she said.

 

Responding to a question on whether he knew Naresh, whose name has been linked with the CD row, Shivakumar said, "Yes, he is someone known to me, he is from the media, I have been to his house also. He had met me several times and informed me about things."

 

On the woman seeking protection for her family, he said, “the government has to provide it, we have good police officers who will take care.” The woman in her latest video statement had expressed fear over the safety of her family.

 

The woman had asked SIT for protection for her family. “I want them to be in front of me if I have to give my statement," she said, adding that she was safe and no one has abducted her.

 

Commenting on the development, Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai said the series of audio and videos are coming like a television serial and the SIT will investigate the CD, audio and video in detail and examine it.

 

"As I have already said, the SIT will not buckle under any kind of pressure or influence or attempts to mislead. It is working systematically as per law without favouring anyone to find out the truth and will continue to do so," he added.

 

A day after news channels aired videos of the sex tape, Jarkiholi, who was Water Resources Minister in Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa-led Cabinet, had resigned on March 3.

 

(With PTI inputs)