The woman who accused former Karnataka minister Ramesh Jarkiholi of sexual harassment has urged the chief justice of the High Court to supervise investigation in the case and direct the state government to provide her protection, Bar and Bench reported on Monday.
In a letter to Justice Abhay Shreeniwas Oka, the woman alleged that Jarkiholi might kill her “at any place at any point of time” and destroy the evidence against him. “And, the SIT [Special Investigation Team] is completely acting to the tunes of Ramesh Jarakiholi,” she claimed.
The woman alleged that her family was forced to give a statement to the Special Investigation Team. “I beg the court to take up the case and direct state government to provide me protection and supervise the investigation.” she said. “There is a threat to me from Jarkiholi.”
The woman told the Karnataka High Court chief justice that she had conveyed her concerns to the Special Investigation team too, Live Law reported. “Despite my apprehension, the SIT has not given any protection to my parents and to myself so far, in collusion with Jarkiholi,” she said.
Last week, the woman had filed a police complaint against Jarkiholi. “I am facing threat to my life and my family hence I request you to take necessary action,” she said.
Jarkiholi, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader, had resigned as Karnataka’s water resources minister on March 3 after television channels aired images and played a video of a “sex CD” purportedly featuring him and the woman. He allegedly harassed the woman in return for a government job.
Woman’s family accuses DK Shivakumar of pressuring her
On Monday, the woman’s family alleged that she was acting under pressure from Karnataka Congress President DK Shivakumar, The Times of India reported.
Shivakumar dismissed the accusations. “Let the investigation happen, they [the family] were speaking under pressure,” he said, according to PTI. “If they have proof, let them give it.”
Meanwhile, the woman’s lawyer said she had obtained an order from the High Court to record her statement before a lower court, IANS reported.
However, the woman’s family urged the magistrate’s court not to take her statement as she was under duress, according to PTI. They said that she should be given time and placed under court supervision.
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