Following the resignation of Karnataka’s Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi over sexual harassment allegations, six Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ministers moved a city civil court seeking directions to all the media houses of restraining from airing/printing/publishing any defamatory content against them.
As per the reports, the plea was moved by some representatives on their behalf. However, their names were listed on the official website of the city civil court. The ministers include Shivaram Hebbar, BC Patil, HT Somashekhar, K Sudhakar, Narayan Gowda, and Byrathi Basavaraj.
The six ministers were among the 17 MLAs who rebelled against the Congress-JD(S) Coalition government which ultimately led to its fall in the 2019 elections.
Recently, a sleaze CD of Ramesh Jarkiholi went viral over the internet. A video allegedly involving him and a young unidentified woman was played by local television channels.
A social activist Dinesh Kalahalli who claimed to have been authorized by the victim’s family lodged a police complaint against Jarkiholi with the Bengaluru police alleging coercion and sexual harassment. The complaint alleged that he sought sexual favours to give a job to a young woman.
However, the minister had claimed him to be innocent and falsely accused. He submitted his resignation on Wednesday over the sexual harassment allegations posed against him.
“The allegations against me are far from the truth. An investigation is needed to prove the truth. Though I have the faith of being proven innocent I am submitting my resignation on moral grounds. Please accept my resignation,” stated Jarkiholi’s resignation letter.
