'10 more Karnataka BJP MLAs watched porn' in Assembly

Chairman of the Legislature Committee probing the porngate episode involving three ruling BJP MLAs in Karnataka on Thursday said eight to ten other legislators had also watched sleazy clips in the Assembly.

Shrishailappa Bidarur, however, indicated these MLAs would not be summoned as it's not part of the terms of reference of the panel.

His comments confirm the claim by committee member Nehru Olekar who created a flutter earlier this month saying 8-10 more MLAs, including those from opposition parties, had also watched the pornclips.

Bidarur told reporters that the committee would submit its report to Assembly Speaker K G Bopaiah by March 20.

Lakshman Savadi, C C Patil and J Krishna Palemar resigned as Ministers on February 7 a day after they were caught on camera watching porn clipping in the Assembly with regional TV channels telecasting their act which evoked public outrage.

"That may be eight to ten", Bidarur said when asked how many more MLAs had watched the adult content in the assembly.

"...while viewing the CCTV (footage)...it (eight to ten watching porn) came to the notice but yet the committee has not decided anything on that", he said.

"If necessary", Bidarur said when asked if these eight to ten MLAs would also be issued notice for deposition but later indicated it was unlikely, pointing out that the panel's terms of reference concerned "about only these three people".

The panel today called two top officials of the Law Department for consultations with regard to legal aspects of the case and "what can be recommended", he said.

Bopaiah had constituted a seven-member House panel, comprising four members from BJP, two from the Congress and one from JDS to probe the episode, but the opposition had boycotted the committee alleging the move is an exercise to cover up the scandal.

The have maintained that there was no need for probe as the three MLAs have admitted to their actions.

More MLAs involved in Karnataka's porn scandal?

'The Dirty Picture' of the Karnataka Assembly is only getting dirtier. The probe report on the porn scandal, in which three MLAs were captured on camera watching porn on a mobile mobile  during assembly proceedings, is now getting delayed because the committee suspects that more than a dozen other MLAs watched pornography too.

The three BJP ministers -- Lakshman S Savadi, CC Patil and J Krishna Palemar -- who were caught on camera, have resigned as ministers, but action against them is yet to be taken. The committee, which was expected to submit its probe report on March 13, now says that it will question more MLAs. This after reports that 15 more MLAs in the Karnataka Assembly were watching Pornography when the session was on in the first week of February.

Srishailappa Bidarur, Chairman of the probe committee says, "we are checking legal parameters for that...after that we may call for them."

The three BJP leaders, who were caught in the act, met the committee for the first time today and pleaded 'not guilty'. They insist they were watching a woman being tortured as part of a documentary.

"How can I tell you what I told the committee, you know what I have been saying. I have already gone through so much pain," said Mr Palemar, one of the three BJP MLAs.

There have also been questions raised over the authenticity and seriousness of the probe since the BJP is investigating against its own party members.

The Speaker of the Assembly had appointed the committee with seven MLAs. However, it now comprises only four BJP MLAs. The Opposition has been boycotting the probe, demanding that the three members be disqualified.