Bangalore: Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday ordered a CID inquiry into the rape charges lodged by a woman against Harathalu Halappa, who quit as the Minister of Food and Civil Supplies following a media report on the alleged incident.
"I have decided now to order a CID inquiry. Let the truth come out. Whoever is guilty should get punishment," he told reporters in Bangalore.
The CM said the Opposition was "harping" on Halappa who had resigned even before the charges against him were proved. Congress is demanding Halappa's arrest and a CBI probe into the charge.
Yeddyurappa accused them of trying to give a "new form" to the issue and resorting to "political revenge".
Asked if the alleged incident would hurt BJP's prospects in the Panchayat elections slated for May 8 and 12, the CM said, "People are wise and they know what is right and what is wrong. Why was this brought out just before Panchayat elections?" he asked.
The alleged sexual assault took place in the last week of November.
Halappa quit on Sunday after a leading Kannada daily published a front-page report alleging he sexually assaulted his friend's wife.(
Read: Karnataka minister resigns over rape charges)
After Halappa's exit, the woman and her husband from Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa's home district Shimoga lodged a complaint of rape and criminal intimidation against him with DGP Ajai Kumar Singh.
Halappa has rubbished the media report, dubbing it "baseless and untrue".
Meanwhile, state BJP President K S Eshwarappa said the allegation against Halappa was a "conspiracy".
"Will any man with pride take video when his wife was being sexually assaulted", Eshwarappa asked, referring to the footage that the woman's husband, Venkatesh Murthy, claimed he shot during the alleged incident, also aired by some TV channels on Sunday night.
Eshwarappa claimed that when he had met Murthy about one-and-half months back, the latter had said that BJP's image would be adversely affected if the issue was made public.
"I told him there are others to take care of the party. You go and file police complaint. If they refuse to register, I will arrange it to be registered", he said.