Karnataka Excise Minister H Y Meti, accused of being involved in a sex scandal, on Wednesday tendered his resignation to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah which has been accepted and forwarded to the Governor.
Meti said he has quit to avoid embarrassment to the Siddaramaiah government while denying any wrongdoing on his part.
As the controversy snowballed with the opposition demanding his exit, Meti met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and submitted his resignation.
"Excise Minister H Y Meti has resigned. I have recommended to Hon'ble Governor to accept the resignation. I have also ordered a probe," Siddaramaiah tweeted.
"I have resigned on my own volition to avoid any embarrassment to the government and the Chief Minister," Meti told reporters after meeting the CM.
"I have done nothing wrong. I have requested the Chief Minister to hold an inquiry," said 71-year-old Meti, who has been rubbishing the allegations against him.
The minister landed in a row after an RTI activist Rajashekar Mulali claimed that he was in possession of a CD containing Meti's alleged indecent act with a woman who approached him for a favour.
The activist had also claimed that some supporters of Meti had threatened him over the CD, which had not been released till the minister's exit.
Mulali, who has reportedly seen the video of the act, appealed to the police to provide security to him after he was allegedly threatened by people claiming to be supporters of Meti.
However, an audio tape had surfaced in connection with the alleged sex CD, where a man claiming to be a supporter of Meti is heard threatening the RTI activist.
"...All the reports that are coming on TV channels are false. I don't know who that RTI activist is, I only saw him on TV today. Also none of my supporters have threatened anyone, the language they are using is not the one spoken in north Karnataka," Meti had said earlier after the row erupted.
Meti had also said he did not know who was behind the CD as "I don't have any enemies.." but added that he did not intend to lodge a police complaint, saying, "let them produce the video and prove the allegations first, after that I will take required action, whether to file a police complaint or whatever needs to be done.
Siddaramaiah discussed the issue with police officers on Monday. Reports suggest that the he has asked state intelligence to thoroughly investigate the case and report to him if such a CD really existed.
Siddaramaiah had warned of strict action if such a CD existed.
“I will react after any such CD is released. Meti will not be allowed to continue as a minister if such a CD is released. I will not tolerate such shameful conduct as it goes against my own ethical values too,” he had said.
(With PTI inputs)
