According to sources in the Special Investigation Team, the 33-year-old grandson of JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda is expected to land in Bengaluru in the small hours of 31 May.
Prajwal Revanna.
Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse charges, has booked a return flight ticket to Bengaluru from Munich on 30 May, official sources said on Wednesday, 29 May.
According to sources in the Special Investigation Team (SIT), the 33-year-old grandson of JDS supremo HD Deve Gowda is expected to land in Bengaluru in the small hours of 31 May.
The SIT is maintaining vigil at the Kempegowda airport in Bengaluru to arrest him as soon as he lands, they said.
The MP, who is seeking re-election as the NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, fled to Germany on 27 April, a day after Hassan went to polls.
The Karnataka State Commission for Women had requested Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to order an investigation into the huge cache of explicit videos showing several women being sexually assaulted allegedly by him.
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on 18 May against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the SIT. So far, two cases of sexual assault have been registered against Prajwal.
Two days ago, the Hassan MP released a video message in which he promised to appear before the SIT on 31 May and cooperate with the inquiry.
“I will personally, on Friday, 31 May at 10 am, appear before the SIT and will cooperate with the investigation and will respond to it (charges). I have faith in court and I am confident that I will come out of false cases through court,” Prajwal said in a video statement released to the media.
He also apologised to his parents, grandfather, JD(S) party workers and people of the state for going incommunicado. He said, “First, I would like to apologise to my parents, grandfather, Kumaranna (HD Kumaraswamy), JD(S) party workers and people of the state for not giving proper information of where I was.”
“I have come out to provide details about my stay in a foreign country as there was no proper information. The polling was held on 26 April and there were no cases against me. Even SIT was also not formed,” explained Revanna. He also alleged that his visit to the foreign country was pre-planned.
In a fresh statement, incumbent Hassan MP #PrajwalRevanna pledges to appear before the SIT on 31 May regarding the sexual abuse case.
Apologizes to family, @JanataDal_S party, and #Karnataka citizens for going away on a pre-planned foreign visit. Alleges political conspiracy,… pic.twitter.com/JcQ27iFJeT
— South First (@TheSouthfirst) May 27, 2024
He said that he had earlier sought seven-day time after the SIT served him notice and that the accusations were a conspiracy to defame him.
Prajwal further said that the day after he sought a week’s time, “Congress leaders including Rahul Gandhi started to discuss this (cases against him) openly in public rallies and also tried to hatch a political conspiracy against me.”
“After witnessing all these, I went into depression and isolated myself. Hence, I would like to apologise to everyone. Even in Hassan, a political conspiracy is being hatched against me. It is a conspiracy to defame me, considering my growth in politics,” Revanna further alleged while assuring that he will appear before the SIT on 31 May and cooperate in the investigation against him.
The MP has twice cancelled the flight ticket from Germany in the past, the sources added.
Meanwhile, the SIT conducted searches at Prajwal’s residence in the district headquarter town of Hassan on Tuesday which went on till late in the night. “Some incriminating materials have been seized,” they said.
(Edited by Shauqueen Mizaj, with PTI inputs)
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