Bengaluru, Mar 31 (IANS): Jagadesh K. N. Mahadev, the legal counsel of the woman involved in the sleaze CD case, on Wednesday said that Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yediyurappa's open invitation to rape accused Ramesh Jarkiholi for the election campaign is a reflection of where the Karnataka government wants to take this case.

In his more than 55-minute-long Facebook live session, he tore into Karnataka revenue minister R. Ashoka, CCB inspector Puneeth Kumar and realtor K. N. Chakrapani.

"Yediyurappa's open invitation to a rape accused (Ramesh Jarkiholi) is nothing but an insult to women of this state that too when my client was about to record her statement in front of Magistrate. His statement is perfect indication that the Karnataka government is making all-out efforts to protect Jarkiholi," he alleged.

Within hours, in another 5:56 minute Facebook live session, Jagadesh alleged that the SIT investigation officer, Kavitha and Dharmendra Kumar are responsible for releasing the video clip showing his client travelling in car released to media houses. "This is a gross violation of our client's privacy, hence, we have reported this to the Magistrate by naming these officers," he said.

Defending the presence of KPCC legal cell general secretary Surya Mukundraj and taking Congress MLA Harris Nalpad's car to travel around, Jagadesh said, "What is wrong if my fellow advocate brother (Mukundraj) accompanies me or the victim. There is no party politics involved here. He came to advocate nothing else," he said and added that there was nothing wrong in using Nalpad's car. "I have a car, but to travel with the victim, I used Nalpad's car, as the car used to be arranged by my driver. He calls his friends and arranges sometimes," he said.

Earlier, interacting with the mediapersons, he requested them not to depict the victim in a derogatory manner. "Most of the news channels are stating that 'CD Lady' and 'CD Lady Lawyer', it is not correct to use such words. These are derogatory terms, she is a rape victim, she should be seen in such a manner and nothing else," he said.