NEW DELHI: HD Kumaraswamy, JD(S) Karnataka president, has once again urged his nephew and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna to return from overseas and cooperate with the investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against him.
Kumaraswamy acknowledged that Prajwal's delayed return has tarnished the image of both the party and the HD Deve Gowda family.
"I openly appealed to him that if he has any respect for the party, its karyakartas, and Deve Gowda, he should come back from wherever he is. If he has not done anything wrong, he can prove it; if he has done wrong, then he must face the punishment."
The JD(S) leader implored the MP not to "take advice from advocates on the matter". "To save his morality, he must come back from wherever he is. This is my demand," Kumaraswamy stated, expressing hope that Prajwal will pay heed to his appeal.
The primary issue is that Revanna's whereabouts are currently unknown.
The sex tapesRevanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is the central figure in a sexual abuse case. He departed from India on a diplomatic passport, reportedly to Germany, just one day after the Lok Sabha elections took place in his constituency.
Numerous women have accused the MP of violating their modesty and recording the acts on camera.
On April 27, at the request of the State Commission for Women, the Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged video clips of sexual abuse and exploitation involving the Hassan MP.
Although the probe was ordered a day after the second phase of polling in the state, pen drives containing thousands of explicit video clips featuring multiple women had been circulating in Hassan and nearby areas well before the election.
Politics amid pollsThe case has become a political flashpoint during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, with the Congress criticising the BJP for aligning with a "tainted" MP and his party. The opposition parties have also targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi for campaigning for him.
The BJP, on the other hand, has accused the Congress of allowing the accused to escape from the state.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah has once again written to PM Modi, requesting the cancellation of the MP's diplomatic passport.
Blue corner noticeThe Interpol has already issued a 'Blue Corner Notice' to gather information on Prajwal Revanna's whereabouts, following a request from the SIT through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A Special Court for Elected Representatives has also issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal Revanna, based on an application filed by the SIT.
Where is Prajwal?Kumaraswamy, while addressing media persons on Wednesday, stated that Prajwal was not in contact with his father and MLA H D Revanna or anyone else.
"Where will I go search for him? If I go abroad, they will say I have gone to save Prajwal... he is not in contact with anyone... with the advice of some advocates, all these things have happened. In case, I had come to know about him leaving for abroad on April 27, I would have stopped him," he said.
"Prajwal had sought a week to appear before SIT, but it was denied and another rape case was filed against him. With all this he might be afraid (to come back)," he added.
Earlier this month, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that Revanna traveled to Germany on a diplomatic passport without seeking political clearance for the trip.
"No political clearance was either sought from or issued by MEA in respect of the travel of the said MP to Germany," Jaiswal had stated.
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