BENGALURU: In a dramatic turn of events, activist Dinesh Kallahalli, who last week petitioned police that then water resources minister Ramesh Jarkiholi, was allegedly sexually exploiting a woman in return for a government job, withdrew his complaint on Sunday. Jarkiholi resigned on moral grounds a day after the allegation was made.
Handing over a five-page letter to Cubbon Park police through legal counsel Kumar Patil, Kallahalli said he was disappointed by statements of a few politicians and by the state’s action of allegedly treating the victim and the messenger “like criminals”.
Last week, Kallahalli met Bengaluru City police commissioner Kamal Pant and filed a complaint that Ramesh Jarkiholi had allegedly sexually exploited a woman by promising her a job in Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation.
Kallahalli had said he had received a CD about the incident from an unknown person seeking justice and was taking it up as he was a social activist.
Kallahalli says he had to face threats, smear campaign
“he videos were also T uploaded even before I handed over the complaint to police. My specific demand was that cops ascertain whether the woman was sexually exploited. But society launched a ‘shoot the messenger’ campaign targeting me and the victim. Former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, without proof, said there was blackmail involving Rs 5 crore. BJP MLA Renukacharya stated this kind of women are a ‘danger’ to the country,” Kallahalli’s letter read.
“The woman was portrayed wrongly on social media and some said I had built a house by blackmailing people... These judgements were passed without any investigation. There were threats from various people and a campaign to defame me was launched,” he said.
Police sources said they have approached the legal team. “This is a one-of-its-kind incident we have come across in recent years. Kallahalli came to file a complaint and appeared for questioning to co-operate in the probe. On Sunday, he sent his letter withdrawing the case. It has become complex as he was not present physically. We might call him to record his statement. There was no FIR registered but only an investigation to ascertain whether the allegations were true,” police sources said.
Kalahalli’s lawyer Kumar Patil said, “I submitted a plea to withdraw the complaint. The police inspector may ask Kallahalli to appear before them to close the case. If required, he’ll come to the station.”