Karnataka 'sex' tape case: Ramesh Jarkiholi says it was conspiracy, knew about CD 4 months ago

Bengaluru, Mar 09: Caught in sex-for-job scandal, former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi on Tuesday claimed that he is innocent and the sex CD was a conspiracy against him.

Jarkiholi claimed that 100 per cent the CD is fake and there is no truth in the tape. He further said that he is innocent and and that I have done nothing wrong.

Ramesh Jarkiholi also said that also said that he knew about the CD four months ago.

''Those who could not tolerate my rise in politics have done this. The conspiracy against me was hatched in two places of Bengaluru - Yeshwantpur and Hulimavu. One place is on the fourth floor and another on the fifth floor," Jarkiholi alleged.

Seeking a week's time citing security concerns, social activist Dinesh Kallahalli appeared before the police and later said he handed over whatever 'evidence' he possessed.

Kallahalli had earlier this week lodged a police complaint alleging that then Ramesh Jarkiholi sexually harassed a woman 'job aspirant', following which the BJP leader resigned from the cabinet.

Earlier, the activist had alleged that Jarkiholi had sexual relationship with a woman on the pretext of providing her a job in KPTCL. A sleaze tape was also released. The matter created headlines in national media and Jarkiholi even tendered his resignation from the state cabinet.

The Minister sent his resignation to the Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa following the leaked videos and police complaint alleging sexual exploitation of a woman under the pretext of a giving her a job in a government organisation.

The development comes a day after purported video clips showing Jarkiholi getting intimate with an unidentified woman, were widely aired by Kannada news channels. "The allegations against me are far from the truth, it has to be investigated at the earliest.

Jarkiholi tendered his resignation after directions from the party high command. BJP National General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Arun Singh is said to have communicated the party's decision to the state leadership, keeping in mind assembly polls in five states, also panchayat elections in the state.

The allegation, just ahead of the Budget session of the state legislature starting from Thursday had come as a huge embarrassment to B S Yediyurappa-led BJP government. There was also demand from the opposition Congress and JD(S) for his immediate resignation.

Ramesh Jarkiholi, a MLA from Gokak, who was earlier with Congress, was among the chief architects in causing the downfall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government that eventually paved the way for the BJP to come to power.