Bengaluru: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, facing allegations of sexually assaulting several women, will be arrested as soon as he arrives at the airport here. The statement came two days after Prajwal released a video statement promising to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the cases against him on May 31. According to official sources, the Hassan MP has booked a return flight ticket from Munich to Bengaluru on May 30 and is expected to land in the city on May 31 morning. Addressing reporters here, Parameshwara said, “All necessary steps have to be taken as a warrant has been issued against him (Prajwal). He has to be arrested. The SIT is waiting, they will arrest him and take his statement, and their (SIT) process will begin.” Asked if Prajwal would be arrested at the airport as soon as he lands, he said, “It (arrest) should happen there (at the airport) because a warrant has been issued. So he should be arrested.”
Prajwal (33), grandson of JD(S) patriarch H D Devegowda and NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, has been accused of sexually assaulting women.
He is said to have fled to Germany on April 27, a day after the election in Hassan, and is still absconding. The Interpol has already issued a ‘blue corner notice’ seeking information about his whereabouts after a request was made by the SIT through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A special court for elected representatives issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal Revanna on May 18 after an application was filed by the SIT.
To a question on the arrest of two persons by the SIT in the pen drive circulation case, the Home Minister said whoever is involved in the case, more than the Congress, BJP and JD(S), will be arrested.
“11-12 people have already been arrested, whoever they (SIT) feel is involved in the case, they will arrest and question them during the investigation,” he said. The sexual abuse cases came to light when several pen drives containing pornographic videos allegedly involving Prajwal were circulated in Hassan ahead of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26. When asked about the alleged embezzlement of crores of rupees in a state-run corporation under the Scheduled Tribe Welfare Department and a suicide case linked to the matter, the Home Minister said the CID investigation was on. He said, “The department has lodged a complaint. Rs 187 crore (was embezzled), out of which Rs 94 crore or more was transferred (without permission). Everybody gives different figures. Somebody mentioned Rs 84 crore, while others said Rs 97 crore. This will be known through investigation. The truth will come out.” Reacting to reports of money being transferred to the accounts of various IT companies, he said, “Prima facie it is being said that the money has gone to eight to 10 accounts. This will be known through investigation.” On BJP’s demand for the resignation of ST Welfare Minister B Nagendra, Parameshwara said, “They (BJP) will keep demanding resignation for every incident. Let there be an investigation. There is an allegation (in the officer’s death note) that the minister had given verbal orders to transfer the money, investigation will reveal the truth.” When told that the Congress, while in opposition, had sought the resignation of then minister K S Eshwarappa after a contractor committed suicide, he said, “Minister Eshwarappa was named in that case, it is not so here. We have to wait for the investigation.”
