A case of sexual harassment has been registered against Karnataka BJP leader Arun Kumar Puthila following a complaint lodged by a 47-year-old woman. The woman alleged that Arun sexually assaulted her at a Bengaluru hotel in June 2023 and used photos, selfies, and videos taken during the alleged assault to blackmail her. The FIR was registered on September 1 at the Dakshina Kannada women's police station.

In her complaint, the survivor said that the incident occurred between June 1 and 8, 2023, at a Bengaluru hotel. She said that she initially admired Arun for his Hindutva ideology and became an active supporter of his actions on social media. “In June last year, he asked me to come to a hotel in Bengaluru where he sexually assaulted me. Later, he started blackmailing me and used to call me whenever he wanted. He physically and mentally exploited me, assuring me that he would provide everything needed for the betterment of my daughter’s life,” she said in her complaint. 

Despite promises of financial support, she said that Arun never paid her for the work she had done. “He even took photos and videos of us, which he later used to blackmail me. After the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he stopped contacting me. Now, I have no money to pay the rent and have no job,” she added.

Arun refuted the allegations and said, “These are false allegations made against me by the woman. It looks like a pre-planned act. I do not know the woman.” 

The police have booked him under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 417 (cheating and dishonest inducement), Section 354A (sexual harassment) and Section 506 (criminal intimidation).

Arun Kumar Puthila had contested as a rebel Independent candidate in the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections after the BJP denied him a ticket from the Puttur Assembly seat. He lost to Congress's Ashok Kumar Rai by 4,149 votes. He later rejoined the BJP.