Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing a probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for the alleged sex scandal involving him, on Wednesday sought seven more days to appear before the agency. The day also saw Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his intervention to “ensure the swift return of the absconding Member of Parliament to face the full force of the law”.
Mr. Siddaramaiah has asked Mr. Modi to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna, who has “fled the country”, “sensing the impending nature of police case and arrest” in the “serious case of alleged sexual exploitation of innumerable women”.
When and how he left
Prajwal Revanna booked a ticket on a Lufthansa flight from Bengaluru to Germany on April 26, when Hassan went to polls where he is contesting as a BJP-JD(S) National Democratic Alliance candidate in the ongoing Lok Sabha polls. He flew out of the country at 2 a.m. on April 27 using his diplomatic passport, and he has a return ticket to Bengaluru booked for May 15, sources said. He is presently believed to be in Munich, Germany.
Prajwal Revanna was served a notice on Tuesday to present himself for questioning within 24 hours, which he did not on Wednesday. In a first response since the alleged scandal broke, Prajwal Revanna posted on his social media accounts on Wednesday afternoon, “I am not in Bengaluru to attend the inquiry. I have communicated to the CID Bengaluru through my advocate. Truth will prevail soon,” he posted. A person claiming to be his advocate has filed a response with the SIT that his client is abroad and needs seven days’ time to appear before the SIT for questioning.
Meanwhile, H.D. Revanna, also accused in the sexual harassment case filed by a former maid in their household, is supposed to present himself for questioning before the SIT on Thursday. However, sources said the advocate’s response was not authorised and wouldn’t stand. The SIT will likely move to issue a look out notice against him very soon, sources said.
Diplomatic passport
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in his letter to the Prime Minister on Wednesday, said it’s learnt that Prajwal Revanna is travelling abroad on his diplomatic passport. Mr. Siddaramaiah has urged the Prime Minister to “move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna and to take such other steps using diplomatic and police channels of the government of India as well as international police agencies to ensure the swift return of the absconding Member of Parliament to face the full force of law.”
This comes a day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah responded to Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s attack on the Union government that while the Prime Minister knew of the movement of all opposition leaders, “such a criminal was allowed to flee the country”. Mr. Shah slammed the Congress government in the State for the delay in action against Prajwal Revanna, arguing that law and order was a State subject.
In response to this charge, Mr. Siddaramaiah has said the “constitution of the SIT was done as soon as the true nature of the alleged crimes against several women emerged and the victims came forward to file a complaint against Prajwal Revanna and an FIR was lodged on 28/04/2024”.
