[Ramesh Jarkiholi sex tape] Sealed cover report leaked to media: Indira Jaising tells Karnataka High Court

Contents of the sealed cover report submitted to the Karnataka High Court in relation to the investigation by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) into the Ramesh Jarkiholi sex tape has been leaked to media, Senior Advocate Indira Jaising told the Court on Friday..Jaising took objection to the same, telling a Bench of Acting Chief Justice Sathish Chandra Sharma and Justice SS Magadum that contents of the report have been published in The Indian Express."Someone leaked the contents of a report which was submitted in a sealed cover. Who had custody of that report? The whole thing has come in the Indian Express. For whose benefit, has it been leaked," she said..The Bench was hearing of a batch of petitions challenging the order of the Bengaluru Commissioner of Police to form the SIT to probe the defamation complaint filed by former Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi in relation to sexual harassment allegations against him..During the hearing, the Additional Advocate General Prabhuling Navadgi argued that the submission of the final report in the investigation will not cause any prejudice to either of the parties in the matter. This was countered by Jaising, who opined that the submission of the final report would essentially mean that the investigation carried out by the SIT was within the framework of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which is not the case in the matter at hand. .Jaising further submitted that the Home Minister did not a have Jurisdiction to pass an order constituting SIT.She also submitted that even the High Court had previously raised objection to the investigation carried out by the SIT in the matter when the head of the Team, Somendru Mukherjee was absent for over two months. .Jaising later stressed that no final report should be submitted by the SIT without leave of the Court..The Bench eventually proceeded to post the matter for further hearing on September 27. .The sex CD case had led to the resignation of Water Resources Minister Ramesh Jarkiholi after being accused of demanding sexual favours from an unidentified woman in exchange for a job.A CD in this regard was leaked, which ultimately resulted in Jarkholi's resignation.