Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru (SP)
Bengaluru, Dec 14: The controversy over the reported involvement of excise minister, H Y Meti in sex scandal that was reportedly captured on camera and recorded in CD, is gaining new twists and turns with each passing day. While Congress leadership is insisting that Meti would be shown the door only if the CD showing him indulging in sex with a relative-cum-government employee seeking favourable placement becomes public, Meti's position appears to be heading towards doom.
On Wednesday December 13, Meti promised the party leadership that he would exit the ministry on his own if the CD involving him is released. He met both the chief minister and home minister separately to assert that such an incident had never happened, and that he is prepared to leave if such a CD is released. Both the leaders reportedly expressed their dissatisfaction at the minister for making the leadership face such an awkward situation.
An audio clip was circulated among the media purported to be containing the voice of the woman in question. In the audio, woman who claims herself to be Vijayalaxmi, intimate scenes with whom reportedly are contained in the controversial CD, can he heard confirming about the existence of such a CD, duly adding that she was the woman involved therein. She is further heard warning that she will end her life if the said CD becomes public, and that the minister and his gunman, Subhash Mugalkhod, would be entirely responsible for the consequences.
RTI activist from Ballari, Rajashekhar, left for Bengaluru to meet home minister and Karnataka Pradesh Congress Comittee president, Parameshwar, to show the CD he reportedly is in possession, on Tuesday. However, information from Bengaluru said that no such appointment has been fixed with the minister. Some sources say that Rajashekhar had exhibited the contents of the CD to some media reporters, but is not inclined to make the CD public. He is said to be prepared to show the contents of the CD to state leadership of Congress, but the leadership says action would be taken only if the CD is made public.
On Tuesday, Vijayalaxmi, who the reports claim, was the woman involved with the minister, held a press conference at Bagalkot to confirm that the only relationship she shares with Meti is like that of a father and daughter and nothing else. She then approached district superintendent of police, M N Nagaraj, and sought protection orally, by informing him that she faces threat to her life. She went to district hospital with police escort and got herself admitted there.
Vijayalaxmi had said on Sunday in a press conference that she was not the woman appearing in CD in which a woman was seen speaking about sexual harassment. On Tuesday, she said she was forcibly made to issue statement contained in that particular CD confirming her relationship with the minister, and accused four persons including a police constable of forcibly obtaining her statement indicting the minister. She claimed that on November 20, she was taken to a spot in the outskirts of Bagalkot town where she was made to sit in a room and after asking her to issue statements against Meti, a video recording of this scene was done. She said she remained indoors since the last three days because of the allegations and sought time to reveal names of three others who were with Subhash then as she said she is fearful of getting murdered if she comes out with these details now.
Superintendent of police, M N Nagaraj, told media persons that police constable of district armed reserve police force, Subhash Mugalkhod, is on leave since the last four months complaining of back pain. At the same time, some reports said that father of Subhash, Venkanna, went to meet Rajashekhar at Ballari on Tuesday. Earlier on Monday, Venkanna, speaking to media, had feigned ignorance about the identity of Rajashekhar.