Karnataka food and civil supplies minister H Halappa today resigned following media reports about an alleged sexual assault by him in his home district of Shimoga.
Halappa faxed his resignation to the office of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is currently out of station.
The minister dismissed the report carried by a leading Kannada daily, which alleged in a front-page story that he sexually assaulted the wife of one of his friends. The report did not name him. No case has been filed.
"The allegation is not true. It's a political conspiracy against me. There are one or two of our own people (BJP) and those of opposition (who conspired against me)", Halappa told reporters here.
Taking a high moral ground, he said he is quitting to spare the party, its members and the government from embarrassment.
He challenged his opponents to produce evidence to support the charge.
