Karnataka: BJP MLA claims to be victim of ‘fake obscene video’, Speaker sidesteps issue

Shivalingegowda said politicians were being repeatedly shamed on social media through memes and critical comments. During this discussion, Speaker Ramesh Kumar tried to stop Shivalingegowda and said personal issues should not be discussed in the House.

However, BJP MLA Aravind Limbavali intervened and said that he and his family had been traumatised by a fake obscene video doing the rounds. “My children are suffering because of such fake videos. People are taking devious ways to stop me and my growth, and that it could be someone from that side or this side or both,” he said.

Limbavali requested a probe into the video. The Speaker asked Limbavali to not get emotional and did not entertain the request.

Limbavali served as Higher Education Minister during the BJP government in the state between 2009-13. In May, Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested the managing director of a Kannada news channel on charges of blackmailing and extorting Limbavali alleging that he had a sex tape of the legislator. CCB police had arrested one Hemanth M Kammar for trying to extract money from the legislator.

Recently two separate cases were registered after Limbavali’s supporters alleged that doctored videos of the MLA were circulated on social media.

The complainants claimed that the alleged obscene video was an attempt to assassinate the character of the BJP MLA and the video was morphed. The police are trying to trace the people who are behind the fake video.