Shocked by strong attack on my son: Sadananda Gowda

Speaking on the allegations being levelled at his son by a Kannada model and actress, a shocked Railway Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said Thursday that it was a clear case of "character assassination" of an individual.

Talking to ANI, Gowda said, "This is character assassination of an individual. This is an attack on a person who is involved in public life. That is why I am not going to give any knee jerk reaction. I will examine everything before reacting".

"I have come across this information through the media. I am especially shocked by this kind of strong attack from a person from Mangalore who makes a charge against a boy who works with his parents," he added.

Gowda was reacting to claims of the model and actress that she had married his son Karthik Gowda on June 5 after first meeting him on May 8 earlier this year.

The model also filed a case against Karthik Gowda on Wednesday under Section 420 and 376 (charges relating to cheating, rape and dishonesty) of the Indian Penal Code.

Elaborating on her allegations, the model had told reporters, "We know each other from 8th May 2014. This was after election, before the result. We became very close friends. We met because my family was looking for a groom, so for that reason I met Karthik. He promised me that he will marry me. So he got married to me on 5th June 2014 in his Mangalore house."

The charges were levelled against Karthik Gowda soon after his engagement to a woman in Kushalnagar on Wednesday.

Sadanand Gowda also said that his son's marriage had been fixed with a person who lives in his wife's neighbourhood.

Explaining that his son was engaged in election campaign like his other relatives, Gowda asked, "How could he have secretly done all this? Who can imagine the authenticity of the charge?"

He also questioned why the complainant chose to remain silent till Karthik's engagement, saying, "One has to understand why the person who has made the allegations remained silent till the engagement and suddenly made this charge."

Gowda also stressed that his life was an open book and he had nothing to hide about his political or personal life.

"I didn't have knowledge about this controversy. I have come to know about this controversy now. I have got nothing to add. My life is an open book. Everybody knows about my political life and personal life; I hide nothing," he told ANI.

Admitting that the sudden attack on his son was surprising, Gowda nevertheless said that he would not indulge in counter allegations.

"This sudden attack on him (Karthik) is surprising but I will not make counter allegations against those who have made (charges) against my family,' said Gowda.