Excise minister and senior Congress MLA HY Meti resigned on Wednesday after a sex tape allegedly involving him was released on a local TV channel. Although it was claimed the tape was of 30 minutes, the clip that was released on the regional Kannada channels is of 30 seconds only.
The clipping doesn’t show the women with whom Meti is allegedly involved in a sexual act, but minister can be seen with his trademark spectacles.
“Excise Minister Shri HY Meti has resigned. I have recommended to Honble Governor to accept the resignation. I have also ordered a probe,” said CM of Karnatka on twitter.
Immediately after the sex tape was released, the 71-year-old minister went to Krishna – the home office of chief minister Siddaramaiah to submit his resignation. Siddaramaiah accepted it and forwarded the same to the Governor Vajubhai Vala.
“Meti submitted his resignation voluntarily on moral grounds and I have accepted it, after the CD was released. I have also ordered a CID inquiry into the entire episode to get to the truth of the incident, after the minister claimed that it was a conspiracy against him and that he was trapped in the act,” said Siddaramaiah.
Siddaramaiah said there was no shame to the government. This is the second such incident involving his ministers. Earlier primary and secondary education minister Tanveer Sait was caught watching obscene pictures.
Responding on this, Siddaramaiah said, “Tanveer Sait was cleared of all charges by the CID. His was not a case parellel to this CD. Even this CD does not mean admission of guilt by Meti. It is only that he has submitted it on moral grounds.”
The sex scandal shook the state earlier after an RTI activist Rajashekar complained of death threats from the minister and his camp.
Citing Meti’s age and giving him the “benefit of the doubt,” senior Congress ministers including higher education minister Basavaraj Rayareddi, defended the excise minister.
