Karnataka porngate ministers now face police probe

A Bangalore court Monday ordered police to probe Karnataka’s three sleeze watching ministers on charges of transmitting and viewing porn films.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kiran Kheny directed the state police to complete the probe against Laxman Savadi, C.C. Patil and J. Krishna Palemar by Feb 27.

The probe will be conducted by Vidhana Soudha or the state secretariat police. The assembly is housed in the Vidhana Soudha.

Savadi and Patil watched the porn clip in the assembly on the cell phone belonging to Palemar last Tuesday. They resigned from the ministry Wednesday following a public outcry.

Kehny’s order came on a complaint by Bangalore advocate Dharmpal Gowda that Savadi, Patil and Palemar had violated laws prohibiting transmission and viewing of obscene films.

Gowda told reporters that he had filed the complaint under sections 292 and 294 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Section 292 prohibits production/printing, sale, hire, distribution and public exhibition of obscene material. Section 294 deals with obscene acts or singing/uttering obscene songs/words.

Gowda said police had the option of registering an FIR or First Information Report marking the formal beginning of the probe or investigating without formal registration of a complaint.

In related developments, assembly Speaker K.G. Bopaiah Monday gave Savadi, Patil and Palemar time till Feb 19 to reply to his notice seeking explanation for their conduct. The three were to give the reply Monday.