Hubballi: CID sleuths may give former Excise Minister H.Y. Meti a clean chit in the sex scandal that cost him his position.
The investigating agency, which began investigating the incident in December, is expected to submit its report to the state government in a couple of days, according to sources.
Mr Meti quit after a sex CD allegedly featuring him and a government employee, Vijayalaxmi , went viral and the woman accused him of seeking sexual favours from her for her transfer and regularisation of her services.
The woman later withdrew her charges and lodged a complaint against four men, including a former gunman of Mr Meti for allegedly forcing her to give a statement against him.
Seeing her do a U-turn in the matter, the CID may absolve the former minister of all charges on the grounds that no complaint has been lodged against him by anyone, including the woman, Vijaylakshmi, say sources .
“We suspected that the state government could try to protect the tainted Congress leader to safeguard its image. This has happened in the case of minister K J George, who was re-inducted into the Cabinet after a cursory probe into the allegations made against him by Deputy Superintendent of Police M.K. Ganapathy, before he killed himself,” said Opposition leader, Jagadish Shettar , warning that the BJP would launch an agitation if Mr Meti too was let off.
Congress party sources say the Kuruba leader is hoping to get back his ministerial post if absolved of all charges and is already lobbying hard with the Chief Minister for it.
Meanwhile, the four men accused of threatening to kill the government employee unless she accused Mr Meti of sexual harassment, have obtained conditional bail.
