Karnataka Home Minister Parameshwara welcomes Prajwal’s statement on appearing before SIT

PTI, May 28, 2024, 9:20 AM IST

Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday welcomed the statement of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, that he would appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and cooperate with the probe later this week.

Prajwal’s uncle and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said there was “some solace”, as the former has responded to the family’s directions to come back and face the investigation.

Exactly a month after he left the country, Prajwal released a video statement in which he promised to appear before the SIT, probing the cases against him, on May 31.

In the statement that is being circulated widely, he termed the cases against him as “false” and part of a “political conspiracy”, besides claiming that he had gone into depression.

“Prajwal Revanna through a video has said that he will appear in front of SIT on May 31st at 10 am and will cooperate with the investigation. I welcome this statement,” Parameshwara said.

“As all of you know, at the time when people were saying that in the history of Karnataka such an incident had not occurred, all efforts were on to bring him back. The CM wrote two letters to the Prime Minister (seeking cancellation of Prajwal’s diplomatic passport). We had requested the CBI and through them to the Interpol to issue a Blue Corner Notice, and it was issued,” he noted.

Further pointing out that the state government had requested the Centre to cancel his diplomatic passport to bring him back at the earliest, the Home Minister said the Ministry of External Affairs had recently stated that the process was underway to cancel his passport.

“I welcome Prajwal’s statement. He must come and appear and say what he has to before the SIT. The SIT based on the information and evidence it has may have to arrest him, as an arrest warrant has been issued. But, when he is surrendering, how SIT will take it we need to see,” he added.

Asked about the source of Prajwal’s video statement, Parameshwara said, “I don’t know, you (media) showed me. I got information a couple of hours ago that he had released a statement, but I had not seen the video.”

To a question on why the source of the video can’t be traced, he said, “You and I may not know, but SIT would…”

Replying as to why the state government and Centre were unable to bring him back, Parameshwara said it is not easy to bring someone from a foreign country, as there are certain procedures to be followed.

“The central government has to impound his diplomatic passport. We cannot travel to a foreign country and arrest him there. We had to follow the legal process in that country and request them, we did it through the Centre. He is coming back, it is good. Let him come and give his statement, subsequently what the SIT does we will wait and see.”

Responding to a question on Centre’s cooperation, the Minister said, “The Centre did not (cooperate) properly. The External Affairs Minister said his diplomatic passport will be cancelled, but it was not… they have not responded to your request.”

On Prajwal’s claims that cases registered against him were false, he said, “Everyone claims they are not guilty. If not guilty, fine. If not guilty, a question arises — who committed the wrong… SIT based on evidence will say what they have to.”

Reacting to Prajwal’s statement alleging political conspiracy and also taking the name of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, “I don’t know about it, I heard from you (about video statement). What options does he (Prajwal) have? Law will take its own course. Whatever information he has through the media, Rahul Gandhi has spoken.”

Addressing reporters in Chikkaballapura, Kumaraswamy expressed some amount of solace as Prajwal responded to the family’s directions to come back.

“With regards to this case, our national President H D Deve Gowda had warned (Prajwal) to come back, appear before the SIT and cooperate with the investigation. I too requested him to return if he has respect towards karyakartas. Responding to this, he is coming back, so we have some solace. The due processes will follow in the days to come,” he said.

Asked about Prajwal alleging conspiracy, the former CM said, “truth should come out from the investigation in the days to come. Whose role is what in this case will be known from the SIT probe, let’s see what they do.”

Asked about Prajwal apologising to him in the video, Kumaraswamy said, “….I had told (Prajwall) to respond to the pain of the party workers. At least now he has shown that he has affection for karyakartas, so I’m a bit satisfied.”

BJP leader and Leader of Opposition R Ashoka said there should be a probe, though Prajwal has accepted that nobody is above law.

“Everyone should abide by the law and explore legal options… running away is not the way. The whole world knows there is a big conspiracy. The Congress has conspired. But, everyone should function in accordance with the law,” he said and alleged that SIT has been formed by the Congress to ‘save’ its own people involved in the case.

State BJP President B Y Vijayendra, only said, “let him come.”