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K’taka Excise Minister resigns over sex CD

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Bengaluru, December 14

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Stung by an alleged sex CD scandal, Karnataka Excise Minister HY Meti resigned today with the government ordering a CID probe into the entire purported episode over the charge that he sought sexual favour from a woman in return for help.

Meti’s exit came days after the alleged scandal erupted with the 71-year-old minister, considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, submitting his resignation to him, saying he was doing so of his own accord to avoid embarrassment to the government.

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Siddaramaiah said he had accepted the resignation and ordered a CID inquiry into the entire purported episode. He said: “HY Meti, Minister for Excise, voluntarily submitted his resignation to me. I have recommended his resignation to the Governor for acceptance. I have also entrusted the entire episode to the CID and (asked it) give a report as early as possible, to know the truth about the incident.”

“Meti is claiming it is a conspiracy, he is not involved in such an incident and has denied it,” said Siddaramaiah, who was under Opposition pressure to drop Meti. On allegations of trying to shield the minister, he said: “It is totally false. If I was aware I would have taken action immediately. I was not aware...”

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Meti said he resigned of his own volition to avoid any embarrassment to the government and the Chief Minister. “I have done nothing wrong. I have requested the Chief Minister to hold an inquiry,” Meti, who has been rubbishing the allegations against him, told reporters after submitting his resignation.

Meti was given a Cabinet berth in June, when 14 ministers were dropped and 13 others inducted in a bid to give a face-lift to his more than three-year-old government.

The alleged scandal has come as a huge embarrassment to the Congress government, close on the heels of another controversy stirred by minister Tanvir Sait after video footage emerged showing him purportedly watching pictures of skimpily clad girls on his mobile on dais at a public function recently.

The controversy involving Meti has been brewing since Sunday after RTI activist Rajashekar Mulali accused him of seeking sexual favour from a woman in return for help. — PTI

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