Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)

Bengaluru, Dec 12: The state Congress, which had taken advantage of the viewing of obscene video on cellphone by three ministers during the BJP regime in the assembly, as a result of which all three of them had to resign, is finding itself in similar situation repeatedly of late. In the recent past, there was allegations that minister Tanveer Sait was viewing sexually explicit scenes on his mobile phone when he was on the dais of Tipu Sultan birth anniversary programme. The government had given him a clean chit then.

Now, it is the turn of excise minister, H Y Meti, who also happens to be the in-charge minister for Bagalkot district, to find himself on a sticky wicket. After allegations surfaced that he had sexually exploited a woman, who happens to be a government employee, after promising her placement of her choice, this news has hogged limelight in political circles. It is being claimed that an RTI activist is in possession of a CD to prove this allegation. There are claims that some supporters of the minister had posed death threats to this activist.

After the audio recording in which these supporters are heard posing the said threats came into the open on Sunday, it gave rise to lot of turmoil, particularly in Congress circles. Meti is one of the minsters said to be very close to chief minister, Siddaramaiah. While the government is facing a tricky situation, it can ward off any immediate loss of face till the CD that has the potential to prove the minister's guilt and thereby ruin his future, is made public.

Meti on the other hand, has stoutly denied having done anything wrong. He has dismissed the above claims as false and fabricated. He has challenged RTI activist, Rajashekhar from Ballari, the RTI activist in question, to make the CD if any public. He also felt that there is a possibility of a video recording having been made when he was in the company of his wife.

In the meanwhile, Rajashekhar has released the audio recording of the threats reportedly posed to him by supporters of the minister and his gunman not to release the CD. He also has filed a complaint about the death threat received by him from the concerned.

It is said that a lady government employee, who happens to be a distant relative of Meti, had requested him to help her in getting the posting of her choice. The minister agreed, and sexually used her in the office provided to him by the government, it is being said. A policeman, who happens to be a friend of the minister's son, had recorded the scene. This video later reached RTI activist, Rajshekhar, somehow, it is being said.

The RTI activist received threatening calls from supporters of the minister and also his gunman, who claimed himself to be Subhash, against releasing the said video. The callers had reportedly said that the RTI activist and his family members will face the consequences if he releases the CD in question.

The woman who is said to have been involved with the minister in the said CD, dismissed the information as rumour. She said she has a feeling that someone is using her name to settle political scores.

Minister, Meti also pooh-poohed the said information as false, duly wondering how he could be expected to behave in this way with his own distant relative. He felt that the media should have verified the truthfulness of the information before publishing it. Meti further termed the news that the chief minister had sought his resignation as baseless and false.