BENGALURU: Former Karnataka Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, who was booked after a woman had accused him of sexually harassing her and released a video where both of them were purportedly seen in a compromising position, has said that as it came to light who the real 'mahanayak' (big leader) is in this case, he will soon file a complaint against state Congress chief D.K. Shivakumar.
Jarkiholi was forced to resign on March 3 after the CD was released to several news channels on March 2, in which he could be allegedly seen in a compromising position with a woman. Since March 2, the sleaze CD saga has witnessed many twists and turns with the woman in the alleged CD releasing video clips one after the other from an undisclosed location, accusing the former minister of exploiting her sexually besides threatening her family. So far she has released five video clips since March 13.
Jarkiholi alleged that in this case Shivakumar is a criminal-minded politician and he would pay the price for this.
"I have gathered as many as 11 pieces of evidence and I will soon hand over these to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) that is probing the case, " he said.
The former Minister said that now that everybody knows who the "mahanayak" is and what he's done.
"I will take him to court for sure, " he said and vowed that he would neither forgive him nor allow him to forget what he has done to him.
Using a cuss word against the Karnataka Congress chief on multiple occasions, he charged that Shivakumar is unfit to politics and there will be no chance of forgiving him this time.
"No one should indulge in such politics. It's best if Shivakumar retires, " he said.
Jarkiholi claimed that the parents of the woman in the CD case have also confirmed who is the mahanayak.
"Neither my family nor I have ever cheated any woman. If anyone proves that I have cheated any woman, I will hang myself. Let the police kick and drag me to the police station, if I am proved guilty even slightest, " he said.
Jarkiholi pointed out that with Shivakumar already admitting to his close association with Naresh Gowda, who is one of the accused in the scandal, it is clear that he was actively involved in a conspiracy against him.
Repeatedly claiming that he was 'innocent' in the Sleaze CD case, Jarkiholi said that he would provide all required support to defeat Shivakumar in the next Elections in Kanakapura, whoever is ready to fight him.
"I will join anyone who is ready to fight and defeat him in Kanakapura, which is home turf for a long time, " he said.
Jarkiholi and Shivakumar had been nursing grudge against each other since 2018, after the former opposed his interference in matters of Belagavi district, that sends 18 MLAs to Assembly, where Jarkiholi family comprising of five brothers - Ramesh, Bhimshi, Balachandra, who are with BJP and Satish and Lakhan with Congress party, whose influence runs large in the sugar bowl of Karnataka.
Jarakiholi's spat with Shivakumar became public in 2018 ultimately led to fall of the Congress-JD(S) coalition government headed by H. D. Kumarswamy.
He joined BJP with one condition that he be given the water resources portfolio that Shivakumar held and his office that allotted in Vidhan Soudha to prove a point.