JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing multiple charges of rape and sexual assault, has said that he will appear before the State government appointed SIT on May 31. In a video released on Monday, he has apologised to his grandfather, parents, uncle and partymen for not appearing earlier.
Thirty-three-year-old Prajwal is the incumbent MP from JDS’ family borough, Hassan, and had sought re-election as Hassan went to the polls on April 24. During the campaign, multiple videos, allegedly sex tapes of Prajwal with several women, were being circulated among voters in Hassan. After these accusations, Prajwal ‘fled’ to Frankfurt, Germany, although party sources claimed he was there on a prearranged visit.
Karnataka chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to the Prime Minister on the 22nd of May, asking him to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal. Following this, Former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda issued a warning to his grandson Prajwal, asking him to return immediately from wherever he is and subject himself to the legal process. “He should not test my patience any further.” he added. This was published on Deve Gowda’s X handle on the 23rd of May.
BL Shankar, a Congress spokesperson reacting to Prajwal s video said, “According to me it is too little and too late. He is a responsible member of the Parliament. The moment he came to know that there is a case registered against him and a SIT has been formed, he should have come forward and contacted the law enforcement authorities and subjected himself to the rule of law. Now there is no other option left to him because the initiation for cancellation of his passport has already been done and the government of India is also furthering the process of cancellation. A case has also been registered and an arrest warrant has been sent. There is no other option for him but to surrender. Any amount of apologies to his parents, his grandfather or his uncle is not going to help the victims. So the law has to take its course now. It is better late than never, at least now he’s said that he will be coming and surrendering. Hope he will honour his words.”
With inputs from by BL Intern Nivasini Azagappan