Raj Bhavan was quick to reject the footage as fabricated and a “tissue of lies.”
This shocking development amid the crisis in the state over the Telangana statehood issue triggered demands that the 86-year-old governor resign or be dismissed.
There were protests by women activists outside Raj Bhavan where security was strengthened after the private Telugu channel aired the footage.
In a quick damage control, Raj Bhavan approached the Andhra Pradesh High Court, filed a PIL against the channel –ABN Andhra Jyothy – and obtained an order to restrain it from further airing the footage which was allegedly taken inside Raj Bhavan during the night.
Tiwari last landed himself in controversy when a man claimed a few months ago that the Congress leader was his father and that he was born out of an intimate relationship between him and Ujjwala Sharma, who had allegedly given him birth. Tiwari had denied the allegation at that time.
Recently, the Congress leader was given relief by the Delhi High Court in a paternity case filed by Rohit Sekhar, who had claimed to be his son. The court dismissed Rohit’s petition on ground of time limitation.
Telecast halted
The Telugu channel stopped telecasting the footage after the court ordered it to stop airing it. The footage was shown for an hour from 10 am on Friday. In a statement, Raj Bhavan said: “The governor is 86 years old and in the evening of his life. It is sad and unfortunate that constitutional functionaries are dragged into controversies.”
Raj Bhavan counsel Ravishanker Jandhyala said “there is absolutely no truth in the alleged news story which is nothing but sensation mongering. The alleged news story is nothing but a ‘tissue of lies’ and is denied,” he said, adding there was no question of Tiwari’s resignation. “We will definitely file a defamation case. Already I have issued a notice in the afternoon (to the channel),” he added. N Chandrababu Naidu, leader of opposition in Andhra Pradesh assembly and Telugu Desam Party president, demanded that Tiwari be sacked immediately. “The only way for him (Tiwari) is to resign or the Centre should sack him,” Naidu said. “It is a very unfortunate and shocking incident. The values and ethics have gone down and institutions which are like temples of democracy have been degenerated,” the TDP leader said, demanding a CBI probe. Branding the revelations as ‘Raj Bhavan sex scandal,’ Naidu observed that constitutional offices like that of the governor were like “temples” and people holding such high offices should be exemplary.
Banjara Hills Assistant Commissioner of Police Ravindra Reddy went to the channel’s office and handed over the High Court orders.
Women activists protested before Raj Bhavan condemning the alleged portrayal of Tiwari in the footage shown. As many as 30 women activists were taken into preventive custody. In Rajahmundry, women activists burnt Tiwari in effigy.
The Telugu newspaper ‘Andhra Jyothy’ carried in its Friday edition an advertisement requesting the people to watch the channel for exclusive visuals allegedly portraying the former Union minister and Uttarakhand chief minister in a compromising position.
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