K'taka sex scandal: Woman seeks protection, cops book unknown people for extortion on Jarkiholi’s complaint

Bengaluru, Mar 14: A woman, who is said to have featured in a video purportedly showing her in a compromising position with BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi, on Saturday sought protection from the State government.

"I don't have protection. All that I ask you all is 'give me protection'," she said in a video message addressed to Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai. She stressed that she was not aware how the video was made.

"My dignity is lost after the video became public. People are coming to our house enquiring about me. My parents tried to commit suicide twice and I too attempted suicide at least three to four times," she said in the video message which has gone viral on the social media.

Stating that she did not have political backing, she claimed "Ramesh Jarkiholi had offered her a job and now released her video. I don't know how it has happened."

The video message came on a day police registered a case of extortion and conspiracy against unknown people following a complaint lodged by Jarkiholi. Jarkiholi alleged a "conspiracy" to finish him off politically.

According to sources, the Special Investigation Team formed by the government to probe the conspiracy behind the scandal have detained at least six people.

Ahead of the assembly session early this month, a social activist had lodged a complaint with police accusing Jarkiholi of exploiting a woman.

Dubbing it as 'sex for job' scandal, video clips purportedly showing Ramesh Jarkiholi in a compromising position with an unidentified woman was widely aired by Kannada news channels. Jarkiholi rubbished them as fake and said there was a "deep conspiracy".

However, he stepped down as Water Resources Minister on moral grounds. The activist later withdrew his complaint.