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Journalism of Courage
The Karnataka High Court has asked a special investigation team (SIT) of the Bengaluru police to file an application before it for clearance to file reports in a magistrate court on its investigations in cases pertaining to allegations of sexual assault against BJP MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi and a counter complaint of extortion filed by the MLA.
A division bench of the high court issued the order after it was informed that the head of the SIT, Soumendu Mukherjee, had approved the investigation reports.
Earlier on November 10, the HC had directed the head of the SIT to examine a report prepared by SIT officers.
In July this year, the SIT had placed reports of its investigation into the complaints of sexual assault and extortion before the high court while seeking permission to file the reports in a lower court.
The high court had raised questions over the absence of supervision of the probe by the head of the SIT who was on leave during a major part of the probe between May to July due to personal reasons.
The Karnataka HC asked the SIT to resubmit the investigation reports after examination by the head of the SIT Soumendu Mukherjee – an officer of the rank of inspector general of police.
The final reports of the investigations “should have been placed before the head of the SIT for appropriate order” the HC stated.
On Tuesday, the high court was given a note by the head of the SIT saying he had gone through the investigation report and that he finds it acceptable and that it was “approved in its entirety”.
The Karnataka High Court did not grant an earlier plea made by the state advocate general for permission for filing of final reports of the SIT probe in an appropriate court.
On July 27, the high court restrained the SIT from filing final reports in investigations into allegations of rape made against the BJP MLA, and a parallel probe into extortion allegations made by the MLA.
The woman in the case has approached the high court against the setting up of the SIT and has sought quashing of the SIT investigations. Advocates for the woman have argued that the investigation has not been carried out as per Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).
Ramesh Jarkiholi was forced to resign from the post of water resources minister on March 3 after a sex CD was broadcast on television channels on March 2.
Initially, Jarkiholi claimed the CD was fake but in a later statement to the SIT he said it was not fake and that he was blackmailed by a gang of extortionists with the recordings.
The SIT presented a report to the high court on July 19 of the progress of investigations into the allegations of sexual assault against the BJP MLA made by the woman and counter allegations of extortion made by the former minister.
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