The three ex-ministers of Karnataka, who lost their ministry last week for viewing porn video clips inside the state assembly, will now have to face a police probe. A Bangalore court on Monday ordered the police to probe their misdemeanour. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Kiran Kheny directed the Vidhana Soudha police to complete the probe against Laxman Savadi, C C Patil and J Krishna Palemar by February 27.
Savadi and Patil watched the porn clip in the assembly on the cell phone belonging to Palemar on Tuesday last. They resigned from the ministry on Wednesday. The porn scandal rocked both Houses resulting in their being adjourned sine die earlier than the scheduled date. Bangalore advocate Dharmpal Gowda had filed a private complaint 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 productionôprinting, sale, hire, distribution and public exhibition of obscene material.
Section 294 deals with obscene acts or singing/uttering obscene songs/words.
Gowda said the police had the option of registering an FIR (First Information Report) marking the formal beginning of the probe or investigate without it.
In related developments, assembly speaker K G Bopaiah gave Savadi, Patil and Palemar time till February 19 to reply to his notice seeking explanation for their conduct. The three were to give the reply by Monday.