Ramesh Jarkiholi Isn’t the First. Sexual Harassment Charges and Sex Scandals Have Rocked K’taka Politics in the Past

Only few dare to talk about their vices in open, but former Karnataka chief minister JH Patel did not have qualms about it. Amid allegations on his personal life, he had said, “Whiskey after sundown and women is my weakness.” This had caused a huge public outcry.

Cut to 2021, Karnataka Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarakiholi resigned after an alleged sex tape was exposed. In his resignation letter, he wrote, “The allegations are far from the truth. There should be an immediate investigation into this. I believe that I am innocent but I resign on moral grounds. Kindly accept my resignation.”

TV channels flashed images of the former minister from the ‘sex CD’ and alleged that he asked sexual from the woman in exchange for a government job.

The scandal involving Jarakiholi isn’t a first in Karnataka politics. Several politicians in the state have resigned over sex scandals earlier.

Also read: Here’s What Jarkiholi Allegedly Said About Karnataka CM Yediyurappa in Sex Tape

Here are some of them:

Renukacharya

A nurse named Jayalakshmi had released photos with politician MP Renukacharya, alleging sexual harassment by him. The woman had alleged that she had received threats after her allegations and even calls to the state women’s commission hadn’t helped. Renukacharya had to resign from his position.

Hartalu Halappa

The BJP Minister of Food and Civil Supplies Hartalu Halappa was charged with raping his friend’s wife in 2009. The minister had to resign in light of the allegations, but was later acquitted in 2017. The court said that the prosecution failed to get enough evidence.

Also read: Man Attempts Self-immolation Over Karnataka Minister’s Resignation in Belagavi

Raghupati Bhat

Raghupathi Bhat, an Udupi MLA, had to resign after his sex tape was leaked to media outlets, forcing him to withdraw his candidature from assembly polls.

Lakshman Sawadi

Laxman Sawadi, CC Patil and Krishna Palemar were in the face of a massive scandal when they were accused of watching porn in the Karnataka assembly in 2012 — an issue that drew national attention. The case was investigated by the state home department. Sawadi was proved wrong in this report. The report said the other two had no role in the minister’s misconduct. He is nowthe Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka.

HY Meti

While most of those who resigned over scandals are BJP leaders, the Congress in the state isn’t unscathed. A sex tape of then minister HY Meti was leaked in 2016. Meti was the excise minister and had to resign from his post.

Arvind Limbaveli

A sex tape of BJP’s Mahadevapura MLA Arvind Limbavali in July 2019 caused much furore in the Karnataka assembly with the him breaking down in the assembly. He had said he was a victim of a fake video. Later in December 2019, a forensic report said the video was fake.