Will quit if charges are proven: Venugopal

AICC general secretary in-charge of Karnataka K C Venugopal on Saturday said he would quit politics if the sexual abuse charge against him is proved.

“I’m in politics for the last 40 years and I don’t have any black spot,” he told reporters after flagging off a new KSRTC Diamond Class bus service from here to Alappuzha in Kerala, which he represents in the Lok Sabha.

Saritha S Nair, the prime accused in the Kerala solar scam, has accused Venugopal of sexually abusing her. “The lady herself has 36 cases against her. I have already filed a defamation suit against her in an Ernakulam court. If it is proved that I’ve wronged, I’ll retire from politics,” said Venugopal, a former Union minister.

On Urban Development Minister R Roshan Baig’s use of an expletive against Prime Minister, Venugopal said the BJP leaders had made comments that were even worse. “But, the use of such words is wrong and I’m sure Baig didn’t say it on purpose,” he said.