CD row: Karnataka HC dismisses petition filed by woman's father

The High Court has dismissed the petition filed by the father of the complainant in the CD case involving former minister Ramesh Jarkiholi. The petition challenged the statement of the complainant under section 164 of CrPC.

The petitioner sought direction quashing the statement of his daughter and claimed that upon inquiry, he found that at the time of recording the statement of his daughter before the magistrate on March 30, 2021, the general secretary of the legal cell of Congress Party by the name Suryamukund Raj, an advocate, was present. Thus, the recording of the statement of his daughter was contrary to the mandate of law, he argued.

The prosecution submitted that the complainant had already stated that there was no coercion from anyone when she gave the statement before a magistrate. The special public prosecutor for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) told the court that in a habeas corpus petition the complainant has stated that she has been residing away from her parents. The prosecution also stated that the father has no locus standi to challenge the statement given by the complainant.