Social activist to withdraw sexual harassment complaint against BJP's Ramesh Jarkiholi
In a twist to the alleged sex-for-job scandal in Karnataka, social activist DineshKallahalli on Sunday said he would withdraw his policecomplaint against BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, which had led tohis resignation.
Dinesh Kallahalli said he will withdraw the complaint ashe was hurt by allegations of a Rs 5 crore deal, levelled byJDS leader H D Kumaraswamy. However, the activists laywersaid there were some technical probelms due to which thedecision was taken.
Meanwhile, Balachandra Jarkiholi, brother of RameshJarkiholi, alleged that there was a big conspiracy in thestate in which four teams have been working to malignJarkiholi and target the BJP ahead of assembly elections infive states.
Seeking a CBI probe into the episode, he told reportershere that the video allegedly featuring his brother and awoman was “doctored.” The activist has accused Jarkiholi of sexually exploitinga woman under the pretext of offering her a job in theKarnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL).
As the matter snowballed into a major controversy,Jarikiholi tendered his resignation to Chief Minister B SYediyurappa, which was forwarded to Governor Vajubhai Vala,who accepted it immediately.
Speaking to reporters, Kallahalli said, “I am deeplypained by Kumaraswamys charge that I struck a Rs five croredeal. Hence, I decided to withdraw my complaint.” Kumaraswamy had on Friday alleged that the entire exposewas a Rs five crore deal and demanded that those claiming tohave the objectionable video clips should be arrestedimmediately as it was a blackmail tactic.
Kumar Patil, Kallahallis lawyer, told media on Sundaythat there were some technical problems due to which hisclient decided to withdraw the complaint.
To a query, Patil said his client was not the one tosuccumb to any political pressure.
“My client is not the one to give up his struggle. Hisobjective was to grant justice to the victim,” the lawyersaid.
Amid apprehensions of a political conspiracy beinghatched to defame them, six ministers of the Yediyurappa-ledcabinet have secured a court injunction restraining media fromairing or publishing any defamatory content against them.
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