Claiming that the sexual abuse cases over which he is now facing a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe are “lies” and part of a “conspiracy to end his political career”, Hassan Member of Parliament and Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna has said in a video released from an undisclosed location that he would present himself before the investigating authorities on May 31.
The MP had left the country soon after polls were held in Hassan on April 26. The State government set up the SIT on April 27 to investigate the sexual assault on women after the Karnataka State Women Commission wrote to the Government.
‘Will co-operate with SIT’
The absconding MP said in a nearly three-minute video clip that was circulated on Monday, “I will appear before the SIT at 10 a.m. on Friday and completely cooperate with the SIT investigation. I have faith in judiciary and I am confident that I will come out of this lie through the court. The grandson of the former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, however, did not disclose his whereabouts in the undated video.
This is his first response after the sensational case made headlines and dominated the Lok Sabha elections after second phase. A blue corner notice is currently against him that could mean his detention soon after his entry into the country.
“When the election was held on April 26, there was no case against me nor was the SIT set up. My foreign trip was pre-planned. It was about three to four days after I left that I received information, watching new channels in Youtube, and the SIT also issued notice for appearance,” claimed the MP, who is speculated to be in Germany on the diplomatic passport. The State Government has sought cancellation of his diplomatic passport, following which the Centre has issued a notice to the MP.
Mr. Prajwal, contesting as a Janata Dal (Secular) candidate under the BJP-led NDA fold, is facing Congress nominee Shreyas Patel in Hassan Lok Sabha constituency that went into polls on April 26 as part of the second phase. He has been suspended by the party after the scandal broke out.
While the pen drives, containing explicit videos and photographs allegedly involving the MP, made an appearance on April 21-22 in Hassan, the State government set up the SIT on April 27 to investigate the sexual assault on women after the Karnataka State Women Commission wrote to the Government.
‘Political conspiracy’
The Hassan MP, who did not broach the issue of the sexual assault or the pen drives in the video, claimed that he went into depression after the attack by Congress.
“The very next day (after seeking time to appear before the SIT), senior Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi started speaking and discussing the issue in open platform as part of political conspiracy. After seeing this, I went into depression and isolated myself.” Further, he said, “Some powers joined together in Hassan to hatch a political conspiracy to prevent my growth politically and bring me down.”
He also apologised to his parents former Minister H.D. Revanna and Bhavani Revanna, grand father and uncle besides apologising to his party members and people of the State for not having given information about his whereabouts.
Grandfather’s appeal
The Hassan MP’s video on Monday comes after appeals from his grandfather, and uncle H.D. Kumaraswamy, the former Chief Minister of Karnataka, to return home and face action. The party has taken the stand not to defend its lone MP in Lok Sabha publicly, has constantly attempted to turn the tables on the Congress government with respect to lack of action against those involved in distribution of pen drives. The JD (S) has accused the Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar of “spearheading” the release of the explicit contents to make electoral gains in the Lok Sabha elections.
