Prajwal unlikely to return before end of LS polls: SIT
Prajwal had originally booked a flight scheduled for 12:20 (German time) on Wednesday, however, when the flight departed from Germany, Prajwal’s name was not on the passenger list
The special investigation team (SIT) probing the alleged sexual assault of women by Prajwal Revanna on Wednesday said the Hassan MP is unlikely to return to India before the Lok Sabha elections are over. Prajwal had originally booked a flight scheduled for 12:20 (German time) on Wednesday, however, when the flight departed from Germany, Prajwal’s name was not on the passenger list, an official familiar with the matter said.
The said ticket was probably booked on the same day when the 33-year-old MP booked a ticket to Germany, the official added. This was a day before an FIR was registered against him.
“We believe he will return to the country only after the elections are over. In any case, we have deployed our officers at the airport,” said a senior police officer, part of the SIT.
Prajwal is the son of MLA and former minister HD Revanna, who too has been accused in a case of molestation and another case of abduction, and grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.
Revanna was suspended from the Janata Dal (Secular) after a huge cache of explicit videos allegedly showing him sexually abusing several women became public hours after polling for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat on April 26.
He was the NDA candidate in the April 26 Lok Sabha election in Hassan.
In April, the state government had constituted the SIT headed by additional director general of police BK Singh to probe multiple instances of sexual abuse and related cases involving Prajwal Revanna, and the Interpol has issued a Blue Notice against the Hassan MP.
Meanwhile, MLA HD Revanna visited Goddess Chamundeshwari temple at Chamundi Hill a day after being released on bail from Parapanna Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru on Tuesday.
Revanna, accompanied by party leaders like former ministers CS Puttaraju and SR Mahesh, MLC CN Manjegowda and former mayor and BJP leader Sandesh Swamy, offered special puja to the presiding deity, at around 8.30 pm.
“The only thing I want to ask the party workers across the state not to celebrate. I am obedient to the judicial system. I have not done anything wrong and I have left everything to God,” Revanna said.
Meanwhile, a group of litterateurs and academics of Karnataka have written to chief minister Siddaramaiah demanding the immediate arrest of Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women but has gone abroad, “absconding” from the law.
Condemning the alleged sexual abuse of women by Prajwal, as many as 107 intellectuals comprising litterateurs, academics, playwrights, singers and social activists have written to Siddaramaiah demanding his immediate arrest.
In their letter, they said the incident shows the feudal mindset of a powerful family, whose members hold key positions in Parliament, the legislative assembly, the legislative council, panchayats and municipal bodies.
They said it is a big crime that the victims of sexual exploitation were allegedly threatened and kidnapped in order to “cover up a crime which has been happening for many years.”
The group highlighted the threat to the lives of the victims and the trauma their families are going through after the scandal broke out.
They said that some women after suffering ignominy attempted suicide while many stigmatised families migrated from Hassan.
The group said a fearless atmosphere should be created for victims to come forward and lodge complaints. They also sought a brake on trading of charges by political parties, and the completion of the SIT probe within a time-frame.
Reacting to the letter, state home minister G Parameshwara said the government would take it seriously. “We will take their letter seriously because they are the ones who have concern for the society. They take note of the issues around them,” he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
