“Shivakumar is the hero of pen drive episode,” claims Devaraje Gowda; DKShi denies allegations

Team Udayavani, May 7, 2024, 8:44 AM IST

Devaraje Gowda during press conference

BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda stirred controversy on Monday, alleging that Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar is linked to the release of a pen drive containing videos allegedly showing sexual assault by former PM H.D. Deve Gowda’s grandson and NDA candidate Prajwal Revanna.

Addressing a press conference, Gowda asserted, “The Congress aims to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi and undermine BJP’s position in the state. They have already targeted JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna and now seek to disrupt the BJP’s influence, including that of H.D. Kumaraswamy.”

Expressing distrust in the ongoing Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe, Gowda claimed to possess evidence differing from the released videos and vowed to hand it over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

“I do not trust the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the sex scandal. I would submit all evidence to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The videos which are with me are different from those which have been released,” he said.

Gowda claimed that he was approached by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and he has audio recordings to prove it.

“The hero of the pen drive episode is Shivakumar. He offered me a cabinet berth. I have the information on how the pen drive was prepared and the role of Congress candidate Hassan Shreyas Patel in it,” he claimed.

He alleged that the SIT is working for the state government. “SIT SP Suman D Pannekar forced me to withdraw the statement against the Deputy Chief Minister. That is why I don’t trust the SIT,” he said.

He alleged that the former minister L.R. Shivarame Gowda had called him and forced him not to take the names of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.

“Shivarame Gowda has become a mediator for Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar,” he alleged.

He said that despite giving names, location and phone numbers of those who distributed pen drives, they have not been arrested.

“Now, they are planning to put all the blame on me. They tried to make a deal with me. They offered the cabinet berth for not talking against the government, Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister. However, I rejected their offer,” he claimed.

He said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar held a meeting of SIT officials and discussed on who all should be arrested in the case.

“I have waged a war against the leaders of Hassan and I have won it. But, my struggle has been misused,” he stated referring to the arrest of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda’s son H.D. Revanna’s arrest.

Talking about Karthik, the former driver of Prajwal Revanna, who is alleged for handing the sex video clips involving Prajwal Revanna to him, Devaraje Gowda said that as an advocate he is allowed to meet him.

Devaraje Gowda strongly objected to give the Hassan Lok Sabha seat to the JD-S party. He strongly demanded that the BJP should field its candidate.

JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna has been arrested by the SIT in connection with the kidnap case of one of the victims of alleged sex videos while his son Prajwal Revanna is absconding. The development had taken the state by storm. Devaraje Gowda had contested against H.D. Revanna in the assembly election.

Devaraje Gowda had unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections against H.D. Revanna, who was arrested by the SIT on Saturday in connection with the kidnapping of an alleged victim of sexual abuse at the hands of his son Prajwal Revanna, who is absconding.

DK Shivakumar refutes allegations

Meanwhile, Shivakumar dismissed the allegations as ‘baseless’, saying that he had nothing to do with the release of the contents of the pen drive.

“Devaraje Gowda contested elections on a BJP ticket. He is an active member of the BJP. The JD-S and the BJP are embarrassed with the Prajwal Revanna case and hence they are trying to do damage control by shifting the blame on me through Devaraje Gowda,” the Congress leader said.

“Devaraje Gowda tried to meet me to discuss the pen drive matter and other internal issues of the BJP, but I could not meet him due to the paucity of time. I will share with the media what he tried to discuss with me once I am back in Bengaluru,” he said.

“Devaraje Gowda had addressed a press conference and said that he would release the contents of the pen drive after holding discussions with the BJP leaders. When it is evident that Devaraje Gowda and the BJP were behind the release of the contents of the pen drive, why are they trying to accuse me?

“The JD-S and the BJP are behind this blame game. I am currently travelling, and I will issue a statement on this once I am back in Bengaluru,” Shivakumar said.

(with IANS inputs)