The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has received a letter from the Karnataka government for the cancellation of the diplomatic passport of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing women, sources cited in reports said on Wednesday.
Prajwal (33) is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister of India HD Deve Gowda and is the NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment.
He reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large.
A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Sources cited in a news agency PTI report on Wednesday said that the letter received from the Karnaraka government for cancellation of diplomatic passport of MP Prajwal Revanna "is being processed".
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah has requested for the cancellation for the Diplomatic Passport of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna "along with prompt and concerted actions to secure his return to India."
The letter reads, "Shameful that Prajwal Revanna...fled the country on 27th April 2024 to Germany using his diplomatic passport shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him."
JD(S) MLA and Prajwal Revanna's father HD Revanna is also accused in cases of molestation and kidnapping. At present, HD Revanna is on bail in two cases pertaining to abduction of a woman and her illegal detention and sexual harassment.
The woman who was kidnapped too had figured in one of the leaked videos where she was tied and raped allegedly by Revanna's son and Hassan MP Prajwal.
Prajwal was fielded as the NDA candidate for Hassan Lok Sabha seat after his party JD(S) forged an alliance with the BJP last year.
Soon after the videos went viral, Prajwal Revanna left for Germany.
Kumaraswamy's Appeal To Prajwal Revanna
JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Wednesday appealed to his nephew Prajwal Revanna to return from abroad and face the investigation. The former CM said there are no differences between his party and its alliance partner, the BJP, over the allegations against Prajwal Revanna. "This case has nothing to do with the alliance."
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on Saturday against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe the serial sex abuse charges against the MP.
"When he [Prajwal] was in Karnataka, he never came to me, now that he is somewhere abroad will he come to my contact?" Kumaraswamy told reporters in response to a question whether he was making any attempts to find Prajwal and bring him back using his sources.
Admitting that the delay in Prajwal's return has caused damage to his party and the family's reputation, the JD(S) state President said, "I have openly appealed to him -- if you have respect for the party, its karyakartas and Deve Gowda come back from wherever you are. Come back first and cooperate with the SIT's probe....If you have not done anything wrong come and prove, if you have committed wrong then bow down and face the punishment."
