Sex scandal: Woman releases second video, doubts SIT's credibility
Bengaluru, Mar 25: As the Special Investigation Team is investigating the sex scandal allegedly involving former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, the women who is said to be in the purported video has raised doubts over the credibility of investigating agency and sought protection to her family.
This even as Jarkiholi claimed that he had shocking evidence to show who was behind the alleged sex scandal, and will release it at the right time.
The woman on Thursday released a video statement, and this is the second such attempt by her seeking protection.
"I know hundred percent that my parents would not have filed a complaint wilfully, because they know that their daughter has not committed any mistake, so there is no need for them to fear," she has said in the video statement referring to the missing complaint lodged by the family.
Noting that the safety of her parents was of utmost importance to her, she said, "Once I get to know about my parents safety, I will come before the SIT and give whatever statement that I have to and do further procedures."
She has also requested Leader of Opposition Siddaramaiah, state Congress President D K Shivakumar, senior Congress MLA and former Speaker K R Ramesh Kumar, and women's organisations to provide security to her parents.
"... I somewhere have hope that I will get justice."
Further noting that she had sent a video to the Commissioner's office/SIT on March 12, she said, "but the video was made public within 30 minutes after Ramesh Jarkiholi filed a complaint on March 13.
I'm unable to understand the SIT is on whose side. I don't know who they are trying to save."
The woman had earlier released a video addressed to Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai seeking protection, and had also claimed that Jarkiholi had promised her job and later got the video clip released.
Her second video has come a day after the budget session of the state legislature was adjourned sine die, five days ahead of the schedule of March 31, as the alleged sex scandal had rocked the proceedings.
Reacting to the woman's statement, Home Minister Bommai said the SIT was doing an impartial probe and was ready to give protection to her and also her parents.
".. let whoever say whatever they want, we are doing an impartial probe, our officials have said they have inquired Ramesh Jarkiholi also, and are ready to take the woman's statement," Bommai said.
"If she says where she is, we will depute woman police for her security and she can give her statement, or if she wants to come here and give it, we will provide security here too," he added.
Observing that the probe is not in favour or against anyone, the Minister said, "it is being done to bring out the truth.
Such turns keep coming during the course of investigation, taking them positively, without having anything against any one SIT is doing an impartial investigation and they will take necessary action."
Asked about women seeking protection from Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar, he said, "I don't know why she has asked them, the question should be put to them."
Meanwhile, Ramesh Jarkiholi asking media persons to take note of the puppetry and conspiracy involved, said the woman was under pressure.
"First, her video came out half-an-hour after I filed my complaint on March 13. Now, she says her video had been sent on March 12 itself... There's politics behind this. I'm ready to face even if there are ten more CDs... Also, look at the planning...what was (her) voice then and what is it now," he said.
Asserting that he will not remain silent till those behind it are put behind bars, Jarkiholi said, "We have readied evidence.. I haven't done anything wrong and I will 100 per cent succeed. With God's blessings, I will come out of this."
Further claiming that he had shocking evidence to show who was behind the sex scandal, he said, "I will let it out when I have to."
"..this evidence was against that great leader.. I haven't revealed the name of the great leader because what if he is innocent and someone else was just using his name? Let's wait, you will get to know," he added.
Responding to a query on Congress raising the issue against him in the assembly, Jarkiholi said, "Till a few days ago, I had a lot of respect for all leaders, especially Siddaramaiah.
I don't know why he's pressing for a rape case against me. I'm shocked, I don't know why he is saying it. God bless him."
The Congress disrupted the proceedings of the assembly for three days under Siddaramaiah's leadership, demanding for a court-monitored probe into the sex scandal, and to book Ramesh Jarkiholi for rape.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Chabahar port will benefit entire region: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on US warning
Kolkata, May 15: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said the Chabahar port would benefit the entire region and a narrow view should not be taken of it, after the US warned that any country having business dealings with Iran runs the "potential risk of sanctions".
Speaking at a programme in Kolkata on Tuesday night, he said that in the past, even the US has been appreciative of the fact that the Chabahar port has a larger relevance.
India on Monday signed a 10-year contract to operate the strategic Iranian port of Chabahar that will help New Delhi expand trade with Central Asia.
"We had a long association with the Chabahar port but we could never sign a long-term agreement. The reason was there were various problems... Finally, we were able to sort this out and we were able to get the long-term agreement done. A long-term agreement is necessary because without it we cannot improve the port operations. And, the port operations, we believe, will benefit the entire region," Jaishankar said.
"I did see some remarks which were made, but I think it's a question of communicating and convincing and getting people to understand that this is actually for everybody's benefit. I don't think people should take a narrow view of it. And, they have not done so in the past.
"If you look at even the US's own attitude to Chabahar in the past, the US has been appreciative of the fact that Chabahar has a larger relevance. We will work at it," he said.
Located in Sistan-Balochistan province on the energy-rich Iran's southern coast, the Chabahar port on the Gulf of Oman -- which New Delhi had proposed to develop way back in 2003 -- will provide Indian goods a gateway to reach landlocked Afghanistan and Central Asia using a road and rail project called International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), bypassing Pakistan.
US sanctions on Iran over its suspected nuclear programme had slowed the development of the port.
"We're aware of these reports that Iran and India have signed a deal concerning the Chabahar port. I will let the government of India speak to its own foreign policy goals vis-a-vis the Chabahar port as well as its bilateral relationship with Iran," US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel told reporters at his daily news conference on Monday.
"I will just say, as it relates to the United States, US sanctions on Iran remain in place and we’ll continue to enforce them," he said in response to a question on the Chabahar port deal.
"You've heard us say this in several instances, that any entity, anyone considering business deals with Iran, they need to be aware of the potential risk that they are opening themselves up to and the potential risk of sanctions," Patel said.
India and Iran have projected the port as a key hub for the 7,200-km-long INSTC -- a multi-mode transport project for moving freight among India, Iran, Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Central Asia and Europe.
The long-term agreement was signed by Indian Ports Global Limited (IPGL) and the Port and Maritime Organisation of Iran, an official statement said.
