Kumaraswamy further insinuated potential involvement of Dy CM DK Shivakumar his brother, DK Suresh, in driver Karthik travelling to Malaysia.
HD Kumaraswamy. (X)
Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy has alleged that Prajwal Revanna’s former car driver, Karthik, who recently released a video statement from an undisclosed location, amidst the unfolding sexual abuse controversy involving the Hassan JD(S) MP, is currently in Malaysia.
Kumaraswamy made the claim, questioning the motive behind such a move.
He further insinuated potential involvement of Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and his brother, Congress MP DK Suresh, in driver Karthik travelling to Malaysia.
“The driver’s video statement was released…where is he, Karthik? From where it was done (video statement) and released? Why was the video hurriedly made and given to news channels? Who gave it? He is in Malaysia,” Kumaraswamy said, as he targeted ‘DK” brothers — Shivakumar and Suresh — for accusing him of releasing explicit video clips.
“Who sent Karthik to Malaysia? What is the need for video to be sent from there?” he asked, speaking to reporters on Wednesday, 1 May.
Shivakumar, in response, dismissed Kumaraswamy’s claims and suggested seeking information from the central authorities to ascertain the truth behind the scandal.
Sarcastically reacting to Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar on Thursday, 2 May, said, “Is it so? Did my brother (referring to Kumaraswamy) say so? If my brother has said, my brother knows all the information. Let him take information from the centre — who has sent (video), who has done all those things. Am I mad? I will fight on the street, but not by sending someone somewhere. I need not do such things, he (Kumaraswamy) may be in need to do such things.”
“That boy (Karthik) has said he gave (a pen drive containing explicit video clips ) to BJP’s Devaraje Gowda. The advocate (Devraje Gowda) has said, he has regards for Kumaranna (Kumaraswamy) and Gowda (Deve Gowda), and he had met him and informed (Kumaraswamy about clips). Who released the explicit clips is a different matter, let’s discuss it later, I’m ready for it. Let’s not deviate now (from the scandal),” he added.
The controversy revolves around explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, the son of HD Deve Gowda’s elder son, HD Revanna, who is an MLA and a former Minister.
Prajwal, 33, was the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s candidate from Hassan, which went to the polls on 26 April. He has been embroiled in the scandal, prompting the Karnataka government to initiate a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe.
In the video statement, Kartik said: “I don’t know if Devaraje Gowda used it for his selfish motives. I do not know who distributed the pen drives (containing explicit video clips). They are levelling allegations against me. I will disclose everything in detail before the SIT.”
Devaraje Gowda had contested for Holenarasipur Assembly seat, against Prajwal’s father HD Revanna, during the 2023 Assembly elections.
Rejecting the charges, Devaraje Gowda has said that Karthik had been hanging around with the Congress Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan constituency, Shreyas Patel, and they have released the video for the ruling party’s political benefit.
He said that neither the JD(S) nor the BJP would release the videos as it would go against the NDA alliance’s candidate.
(Edited by Shauqueen Mizaj, with PTI inputs)
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