INDIA’S FORMER GOVERNOR, ACCUSED IN SEX SCANDAL, SAYS HE IS INNOCENT. (TAPE NO: DV-012)

NATURAL WITH HINDI SPEECH

DURATION: 1.39

SOURCE: ANI

TV AND WEB RESTRICTIONS: NONE

India’s former governor, accused in a sex scandal, says he is innocent.

Former governor of India’s southern Andhra Pradesh, Narayan Dutt Tiwari, who had to resign after his name figured in a sex scandal, says he is innocent.

SHOWS:

DEHRADUN, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA (DECEMBER 28, 2009) (ANI-ACCESS ALL)

1. EXTERIOR OF DEHRADUN AIRPORT

2. SUPPORTERS OF NARAYAN DUTT TIWARI, FORMER GOVERNOR OF INDIA’S SOUTHERN ANDHRA PRADESH STATE, RAISING SLOGANS IN SUPPORT

3. SUPPORTERS GOING ALONG THE CAVALCADE OF TIWARI

4. TIWARI IN HIS VEHICLE

5. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) NARAYAN DUTT TIWARI, FORMER GOVERNOR OF INDIA’S SOUTHERN ANDHRA PRADESH STATE, SAYING: “The (allegations) are baseless, fraud. Today, the situation is that it is difficult for anybody to talk to a woman, anyone can allege. They (allegations) are 100 percent wrong.”

6. TIWARI ANSWERING TO REPORTERS

7. (SOUNDBITE) (Hindi) NARAYAN DUTT TIWARI, FORMER GOVERNOR OF INDIA’S SOUTHERN ANDHRA PRADESH STATE, SAYING: “The allegations…there have been allegations earlier also. I am not against anyone and has no complains. I will continue to struggle as I did earlier in my life.”

8. TIWARI WALKING WITH HIS SUPPORTERS

9. TIWARI TALKING

STORY: Narayan Dutt Tiwari, former governor of India’s southern Andhra Pradesh state, who had to resign after his name figured in an alleged sex scandal, defended himself on Monday (December 28).

Tiwari resigned on Saturday (December 26) citing health concerns.

Pressure mounted on federal ruling Congress party to call back Tiwari, former state chief of India’s northern Uttarakhand province, after his alleged involvement.

Talking to reporters in Dehradun, state capital of Uttarakhand, Tiwari said allegations against him were “baseless”.

“The (allegations) are baseless, fraud. Today, the situation is that it is difficult for anybody to talk to a woman, anyone can allege. They (allegations) are 100 percent wrong,” he said.

Octogenarian, Tiwari, also hinted that he would be active in politics.

“The allegations…there have been allegations earlier also. I am not against anyone and has no complains. I will continue to struggle as I did earlier in my life,” he added.

A local TV channel last week ran clips showing Tiwari caught on camera in a compromising position with three women. The clips ran for about an hour before the Hyderabad High Court restrained the channel from airing the video.

Allegations of extramarital affairs are not new in Tiwari’s six-decades-long political career. Incidentally Tiwari is a respondent in a paternity suit filed by a man in the Delhi High Court claiming to be his biological son.