Bangalore: Union Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda’s son Karthik has been accused of rape and cheating by an actress who claims to be his wife.
The woman filed an FIR or police complaint hours after Karthik got engaged on Wednesday in Bangalore, the capital of Congress-ruled Karnataka.
“She has filed a complaint in RT Nagar police station against Karthik Gowda, Sadananda Gowda’s son, for allegedly raping and cheating her,” said Bangalore Police Commissioner MN Reddi.
Responding to the woman’s claims before the complaint was filed, the minister had alleged a conspiracy. “I was shocked to see this report. It hurt me. My personal and public life is an open book and everyone knows about it. Her charges are very serious…I am not aware of what happened. But suddenly after the engagement if one girl claims such things, it leads to suspicion,” Mr Gowda said.
Karthik also denied the woman’s allegations, saying, “My father is a respectable man. Why should I spoil it?”
Earlier in the day, the woman had given interviews to local television channels claiming she had met Karthik through a common friend. “How can he (Karthik) get engaged to another girl when he is already married to me?” she had said.
She alleged that Karthik told her he would convince her parents to accept the marriage.