Prajwal Revanna won the Hassan Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and is contesting it this time too
A lookout notice has been issued against Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna amid the political storm over the sexual harassment allegations against him. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said Revanna has to appear before the Special Investigation Team probing the matter at the earliest and indicated that he may be arrested if he does not turn up. Earlier, the SIT had turned down his request for seven days' time to appear before the investigators.
Thirty-three-year-old Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the centre of a huge row after a woman accused him and his father, HD Revanna, of sexually harassing her. The woman, who has told police that she worked as a cook at the Revannas' home, has also accused the JDS MP of harassing her daughter over video calls. A huge cache of explicit visuals, allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, have circulated on the Internet.
"They have to appear. If they don't, they would be arrested," the minister said, referring to Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna.
Prajwal Revanna's lawyer Arun G had earlier said there are various dimensions in the case and that required time to be addressed. "He has said that he needs 7 days to come and cooperate with the investigation. I feel accommodating seven days should not cause any serious difficulty to the investigation," he said.
The lawyer asserted Prajwal has said the videos are morphed. In a post on X, the JDS MP has said, "As I am not in Bangalore to attend the inquiry, I have communicated to CID, Bangalore, through my advocate. The truth will prevail soon."
The allegations have, meanwhile, sparked a massive political row in the election season. The JDS has tied up with the BJP for the polls and the allegations against Prajwal Revanna have prompted the Congress to launch an all-out attack against the BJP.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has targeted Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned his silence. "The leader on whose shoulder the PM puts his hand and gets himself photographed, the leader for whom the PM himself goes to campaign 10 days before the election. He praises him on the stage. Today, that leader from Karnataka is absconding from the country. Just hearing about his heinous crimes makes my heart tremble. He has ruined the lives of hundreds of women. Modi ji will you remain silent?," she said in a post on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has hit back. He has said the BJP cannot remain with those who commit atrocities against women and questioned why the Congress government in Karnataka did not act against him earlier.
"We (BJP) have an alliance with the JD(S). Now (Prajwal) Revanna's CD has come. They (Congress) thought they can corner the BJP. I am making it clear here BJP cannot remain with those who commit atrocities against women," the Home Minister has said. "You did not initiate any action till the elections in the Vokkaliga belt were over. You did politics and allowed him (Prajwal Revanna) to escape. If you have guts, tell the truth. Because of you, a heinous criminal fled the country," he has added.
The JDS first family belongs to the Vokkaliga community, which holds considerable sway in south Karnataka. Fourteen Lok Sabha seats where Vokkaliga voters play a key role went to polls on April 26.