Bengaluru, Mar 6: A day after six ministers approached a Bengaluru city court seeking ex-parte restraining order against media houses from publishing or airing ‘defamatory’ content in the sleaze CD case, Karnataka Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Saturday expressed strong suspicion that ‘some forces’ could well be trying to create political instability in the state by resorting to blackmail with this episode.
BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi was forced to resign from his minister’s post on Wednesday after Bengaluru-based social activist Dinesh Kallahalli released a CD containing Jarkiholi getting intimate with a woman allegedly luring her to a government job on Tuesday evening.
Leading to half a dozen Karnataka ministers approaching court for preventing media houses from publishing any content that was deem to be defamatory.
Bommai told reporters that there is reason for his suspicion as even after five days neither the victim has come forward nor the complainant disclosed anything beyond what is already in public domain as the police investigates in the Jarkiholi case.
“Such long delays either by victim or by complainant can only mean one thing: a ‘bigger political conspiracy’ could well be at play in order to create political instability in the state. As a result of this, few ministers and MLAs might have felt it appropriate to take legal recourse to protect their reputation,” the Minister, who also holds the law portfolio, said.
Responding to a question, Bommai said those who have got a whiff of strong rumours have either already approached or are in the process of approaching the court.
“The police are also investigating this (Jarkiholi) case from all possible angles, including honeytrap,” he said in response to a question.
Interacting with the media, Karnataka co-operation minister, S.T. Somashekhar revealed that the remaining 10 ministers who have crossed over to the BJP will also approach the court to seek similar reprieve.
He was reacting to reporters querying about him filing a petition in city court on Friday evening. Somashekhar said that it had become all the more important to safeguard their ‘reputation’ from being tarnished for political vendetta.
“Maligning is the biggest weapon in the hands of our political rivals. This is only a precautionary measure,” he said.
The minister said that their rivals are planning to ‘release fake CDs’ and ensure that all those who have come from other parties to BJP will be prime targets, therefore, all (defectors) resorted to this step.
“We, all 15, will call for a press conference in a day or two to reveal more about such blackmail tricks,” he said.
Answering a question, the minister claimed that they have worked hard to reach this position and they will not allow anyone to tarnish their images.
Karnataka Agriculture Minister, B.C. Patil justifying his decision to approach the court said that their reputation was at stake. “We have a lot of rivals as we are successful and manage our portfolios very well. As a result of this, we have earned our share of enemies too. Therefore, we got a ‘hint’ from our well wishers that before rivals strike with fake CDs, we have opted for preventive measure,” he said.
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