CID will look into, not probe, Meti sex tape

BENGALURU: The CID inquiry ordered into former minister MY Meti’s sex tape will only “inquire’’ into, and not investigate, the issue as there has to be complainant for the probe to be done.
In the absence of a formal complaint either by the former excise minister or the woman in the case, the CID has its hands tied in the case for conducting any investigation.
“The CID will only conduct an inquiry into the case and submit a report to the government. The case cannot be investigated as there is no complaint lodged anywhere in the state,” home minister G Parameshwara told reporters here on Friday.
Meti had urged the government to order an inquiry into the case. He alleged the woman and his former gunman had both tried to blackmail him with the sex tape. Within hours of his resignation, chief minister Siddaramaiah said he had handed over the case to the CID.
However, since the woman in the tape has not filed any complaint or made a statement, the case cannot be investigated. Police officers had said the CID can only look into the matter based on circumstantial evidence.
The officer said: “We will have to ascertain how the woman was introduced to Meti. Did she voluntarily develop intimacy with Meti or was forced to have a relationship? Why did she tell the media that she was being blackmailed by District Armed Reserve police constable Subhash Mugalkhod?.’’
The inquiry will also find out whether the woman knew RTI activist M Rajashekar. “Since there have been reports that news about the sex CD was doing the rounds for a month, CID sleuths will probe if Meti and his family members were blackmailed. They will also question Rajashekar since he claimed he had seen the video though he was not in possession of it,’’ the officer said.
Speaking to the media, Parameshwara admitted the episode has embarrassed the Congress. The matter has been referred to the high command, and action will be initiated as per its directive. “If it was a local leader or party worker, I could have acted on my own. Since Meti is an MLA, the high command will have to a call,’’ he added.
Parameshwara said the sleaze tape may have provided the opposition additional ammunition to attack the Congress government, but it is only an isolated incident and will not have any bearing on the 2018 assembly polls. “Over the past four years the government has come out with so many welfare schemes.”
On the I-T raids and notices by the Enforcement Directorate reportedly served on two ministers, Parameshwara said no such thing has come to the government’s notice. “The I-T department... has no link to us. We do not know whose name is on their watch list. I am as curious as the media,” he added.