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Accusing the Special Investigation Team (SIT), set up by the Government of Karnataka to investigate the alleged sexual exploitation involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, of “working at the behest of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar”, former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy has demanded the probe be handed over to the CBI if the focus is on providing justice to the women victims.
Watch | Prajwal Revanna sex scandal
All you need to know about the allegations of sexual assault against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and sexually explicit videos circulating in Hassan | Video Credit: The Hindu
“If the Chief Minister has any morality, he should dismiss Mr. Shivakumar from the cabinet. We will also complain to the Governor of Karnataka,” he said in Bengaluru on May 7, but was quick to add that he was making no effort to protect Prajwal Revanna.
Terming Mr. Shivakumar as the “key conspirator” in the distribution of pen drives containing explicit sexual content allegedly involving suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna and several women, the former Chief Minister said, “He is behind the release of the pen drives. The SIT officials are behaving like agents of Mr. Siddaramaiah and Mr. Shivakumar. He [Mr. Shivakumar] did this to ‘sahukar’ [former BJP minister Ramesh Jarkiholi] also.
“Why has SIT not issued a notice to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on his claim that there are 400 women victims? He must surely have some basis to make that claim.”
Mr. Kumaraswamy’s statement came a day after BJP leader and the party’s defeated candidate at Holenarasipura Devaraje Gowda made similar accusations.
“While the State women’s commission sought an investigation into the alleged sex exploitation and also against those who distributed the pen drive, the latter has been ignored,” the former Chief Minister claimed.
“Let the truth come out on the alleged abduction by H.D. Revanna too. Why has SIT not produced the alleged victim in court? It has been more than two days since she has been rescued. While the second complainant has claimed of being raped at gunpoint, she was seen sharing the stage with Prajwal Revanna at Belur on April 22 during the campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. The pen drives were distributed on April 21 night. It is a serious matter,” he said while supporting the demand of BJP for a judicial inquiry into the matter.
“The Congress,” he claimed, “is not interested in providing justice, but working for publicity to bring down Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”
The former chief minister said, “The SIT has to conduct a fair investigation. On the one hand, it announces circulation or possession of the videos is a crime. On the other hand, it has not taken any action against five persons, including the alleged key distributor of the pen drive Naveen Gowda, despite a complaint being lodged against them in Hassan.”
Will not protect Prajwal Revanna: H.D. Kumaraswamy
Stating that there is no question of protecting Prajwal Revanna, he said, “It is a sad development for Karnataka. It has made us hang our heads in shame. I will not protect anyone, whoever it is. I will neither interfere nor support Prajwal Revanna in the investigation.”
He claimed to be ignorant of the whereabouts of the MP, now believed to be in Germany, and that he is not in touch with him.
“I would have not given the ticket to Prajwal Revanna if the pen drive had come to my notice earlier. Yes, there were issues in giving him a ticket. I wanted to change the candidate after party workers had complained about his behaviour of not respecting seniors and party workers,” he said.
