His Sexcellency?

The news of the broadcast was teased in Andhra Jyothis newspaper this morning the TV channel was launched on October 15,2009 prompting Officer on Special Duty to the Governor Aryendra Sharma to move the Andhra Pradesh High Court at the Chief Justices residence.

The court asked the channel to refrain from broadcasting the tape saying it was likely to demean and denigrate the gubernatorial office.

Andhra Jyothis managing editor V Radhakrishna who pulled the tape off the air after the order told The Indian Express that the sting took two months to plan.

About six months ago,we published a story about an alleged relationship between Tiwari and former Congress activist Ujjwala Sharma. After this,a woman,calling herself Radhika,approached us with a startling claim that she arranged for women for the Governor and that she could provide more evidence. We began to verify her claims.

Then Radhika told us that Tiwari promised her a mining lease if she supplied women to him for sex. She said that Tiwari did not keep his promise and thats why she had decided to expose him through a sting operation. We worked with her for two months before we got the visuals of the Governor with the women. All three hail from poor families, Radhakrishna said.

Asked if the women purportedly having sex on tape knew they were being recorded,Radhakrishna said: The women were aware of the sting operation and agreed to participate. We did not pay any money to them. We have not revealed the names of the women involved. Their location has been kept a secret and in case they require security,we will arrange for it.

Although the Governors office called it fabricated, pressure is mounting on Tiwari to quit. CPM MP Brinda Karat is said to have decided to seek an appointment with President Pratibha Patil to press for the Governors recall.

TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu demanded that the Centre should sack Tiwari for bringing shame to the office of the Governor.

This is a shame. The Raj Bhavan is a symbol of democracy and it is very unfortunate that its sanctity has been desecrated. Tiwari represents declining values and ethics in public life. There should be a CBI inquiry into this scandal as I feel there are more people involved in it.

Praja Rajyam Party president Chiranjeevi said it was unfortunate that individuals in high public office indulged in such acts.

While there was no official word from the Congress High Command,Permanent Invitee to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) and senior leader from Andhra Pradesh K Keshava Rao demanded Tiwaris resignation.

I am shocked to see such photos of our respectable Governor. I feel ashamed to comment on such a shameful act. I only hope they (photos) are not genuine. But if they are,any responsible person on such a post would quit before he is asked to do so, Rao said in New Delhi.

AICC spokesman Manish Tiwari said that since the matter is sub-judice,it would be inappropriate to comment. He added that unless the veracity of the material is independently verified,it would be imprudent for anybody to be judgmental either way.

AICC in-charge of Andhra Pradesh M Veerappa Moily refused to comment saying he was not aware of the scandal.

N D Tiwari had survived a controversy recently when Ujjwala Sharmas son Rohit Shekhar had gone to court seeking a declaration that he was Tiwaris biological son. The Delhi High Court,however,dismissed the plea.