Sexual favours sought, videos circulated in Hassan: Karnataka women's body seeks SIT probe

The state Congress earlier on Thursday waded into this issue by asking JD(S) state president and former CM H D Kumaraswamy to speak up by also bringing up his 'women of state gone astray' remark.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka State Commission for Women has asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to set up a special investigation team (SIT) to probe sex videos - some of them involving force or no consent - that are being circulated in Hassan district.

The Commission, headed by Dr Nagalakshmi Chaudhary, has said that “influential politicians” have sought sexual favours from women besides “raping some of them”.

These clips have reached people, “Making society hang its head down in shame”, the Commission stated. Apparently, sexual acts with thousands of women have been recorded on mobile phones for blackmailing them.

Chaudhary has written a separate letter to state police chief Alok Mohan seeking a special probe.

In both letters, the Commission has sought action against persons who filmed all the sexual acts as well as those who made them public.

Several explicit videos have gone viral over the last week ahead of the Hassan Lok Sabha election scheduled on Friday. Sitting JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna is seeking re-election against Congress’ Shreyas Patel.

The sex scandal may have an impact on the outcome of the Hassan election.

Earlier in the day, Congress waded into this issue by asking JD(S) state president and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy to speak up.

“Kumaraswamy, you had once flashed a pen drive. Is the secret out? Is this your pen drive that has gone viral in every street of Hassan? Why are you, who said women of this state went astray, quiet now? Is it because you don’t have the courage to show your face to people because they know who really went astray?” the Congress said in a tweet.