Bengaluru: Water Resources Minister of the State Ramesh Jarkiholi resigned from the post on Wednesday after a CD of him emerged on Tuesday showing him in a compromising position with a woman.
In his letter to Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa on Wednesday, Jarkiholi has claimed to be innocent, but has quit on moral grounds.
The video shows the minister in a compromising position with an unidentified woman. The tape, which includes a recording of a conversation between the minister and the woman, was played on TV channels on Tuesday.
The CD with the video was given to the media by a social activist who claimed to have been approached by the woman’s family. He also filed a police complaint that Jarkiholi demanded sexual favour for the woman to get a government job.
Jarkiholi’s brother and BJP MLA Balachandra Jarikiholi has demanded a CBI investigation on the matter. He has also threatened to file a suit of Rs 100 crore against the people who released the ‘fake CD’ on his brother.
In Hubballi, there was a series of protests earlier, demanding the resignation of the minister. Members of different organisations gathered at the Sangolli Rayanna Circle and shouted slogans against Jarkiholi. An effigy of the minister was also set on fire by the protesters.
The protest was led by members of the JD(S) and Shiv Sena Karnataka.
