The sleaze CD case took another turn on Saturday, 27 March when both the family members of the woman and the former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi blamed Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee president, DK Shivakumar for playing a major role in releasing the CD.
“We have an audio clip of our sister and the same has been given to SIT officials. During the conversation, my sister had told us that she is at DK Shivakumar’s house and he is sending her out from the state, for her safety. Making such videos, keeping a woman to take their political revenge is not the right thing,” the brother told a Special Investigation Team (SIT), according to IANS.
Jarkiholi alleged that Shivakumar is a criminal-minded politician and said that as it came to light he is the real 'mahanayak' (big leader) is in this case. He added that he will soon file a complaint against the state Congress chief.
The woman released her fifth video clip and blamed Jarkiholi for harassing her family, after which the family members suddenly surfaced and appeared before the SIT that is probing into the sleaze CD case.
"After seeing these videos, we called on her friend's phone and spoke with her. She told us that the videos are morphed and edited and DK Shivakumar is sending her to Goa safely," her brother said.
The woman’s father said that using a Schedule Tribe (ST) woman for their political gain is a bad idea and it’s dirty politics.
"We don't want to make any more allegations, we just want our daughter back home. We need the support of policemen and media persons to bring her back home. She had come home last on 5 February, but after 2 March, she spoke to us over the phone. The suspected kingpin media statement about the incident is false," he added.
Jarkiholi said that with Shivakumar already admitting to his close association with Naresh Gowda, who is one of the accused in the scandal, it is clear that he was actively involved in a conspiracy against him.
Repeatedly claiming that he was ‘innocent’ in the Sleaze CD case, Jarkiholi said, “Neither my family nor I have ever cheated any woman. If anyone proves that I have cheated any woman, I will hang myself. Let the police kick and drag me to the police station, if I am proved guilty even slightest”.
Jarkiholi and Shivakumar had been nursing grudge against each other since 2018 after the former opposed his interference in matters of Belagavi district, that sends 18 MLAs to Assembly, where Jarkiholi family comprising of five brothers - Ramesh, Bhimshi, Balachandra, who are with BJP and Satish and Lakhan with Congress party, whose influence runs large in the sugar bowl of Karnataka.
Jarkiholi was forced to resign on 3 March after the CD was released to several news channels on 2 March, in which he could be allegedly seen in a compromising position with a woman. The SIT had subjected parents to questioning in the Interrogation Cell in Adugodi based on their complaint of kidnap and the woman's video clip.
(With IANS inputs.)
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