Obscene video case: Why wasn't victim produced before judge, asks Kumaraswamy

Bengaluru: Former Chief Minister and JD(S) state chief H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday questioned the Congress government over its failure to produce the victim, who was kidnapped and later rescued, in the obscene video case before a judge.

Speaking to reporters here, Kumaraswamy said, "The rescued victim, who was allegedly kidnapped, has been with the SIT for four days. Her 12 family members have been kept at the Kumara Krupa Guest House which is run by the government and are being given royal treatment there."

"The kidnapped woman was not rescued but she was picked up from her relative’s house," Kumaraswamy said.

"After the release of pen drives on April 21, the statements were taken forcefully from the victims. The initial FIR against JD(S) MLA and his brother Revanna attracted only bailable sections. Then kidnap charges were made up," Kumaraswamy alleged.

"Those who are showing sympathy for the victims have exposed them before the nation by showing their faces. The State Women’s Commission had demanded that the aspect of distribution of the sex videos should also be probed. However, one Naveen Gowda, who had put up a social media post before the release of alleged videos was not questioned," he stated.

Meanwhile, JD(S) workers staged protests against the Congress government and DyCM D.K. Shivakumar in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Ramanagara, Chitradurga, Kolar and Devanahalli.

The protesters burnt the posters of DyCM Shivakumar and raised slogans against him.

G.T. Deve Gowda, the JD(S) Core Committee President demanded that the video scandal should be probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“The video morphing was done in Australia and pen drives were purchased in Chennai. The videos on social media were released from abroad. The case has international jurisdiction and the SIT can’t investigate it. Hence, the case should be handed over to the CBI,” he demanded.