The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is likely to issue a Blue Notice against Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is ostensibly in Germany on a diplomatic passport after allegations of sexual abuse came to light, Karnataka chief minister’s office informed on Saturday, after Siddaramaiah held an emergency meeting with top cops and the special investigation team (SIT) probing the case.
The development came on the day the Holenarasipur JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse allegations along with his son; was taken into custody by the SIT, minutes after a court rejected his anticipatory bail plea in a kidnapping case.
Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now!
Siddaramaiah on Saturday held an “important meeting” with the SIT officials, during which he instructed that immediate action must be taken to arrest Prajwal.
“We will proceed for the arrest with appropriate measures. There is a possibility of CBI issuing a Blue Corner Notice, which will speed up the investigation,” news agency PTI quoted a statement released from the CM’s office as saying.
“Once CBI issues this notice, SIT hopes to get information about the whereabouts of Prajwal Revanna…They (SIT officials) have assured that they will arrest and get the accused back, as soon as they get the information from the airports,” it added.
A Blue Notice is issued by the international police cooperation body to collect additional information from its member countries about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.
The SIT is said to have sent a request to CBI, the nodal body for Interpol matters in India, seeking a Blue Notice against Prajwal, the officials said, adding that once CBI issues this notice, SIT hopes to get information about the whereabouts of the Hassan MP.
An SIT is probing into the allegations of mass sexual abuse against the sitting Hassan MP, who was suspended from the JD(S) but remains the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate for the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency. He is the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
The allegations of sexual harassment emerged in the hours following polling for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, with close to 3,000 videos purportedly showing some of these incidents, leading the state government to put together an SIT.
The first case was registered against Prajwal and his father for alleged sexual harassment at the Holenarsipura police station in Hassan district last Sunday, based on a complaint by a woman who worked in Revanna’s house. On Thursday, a second FIR was registered against Revanna and his confidant Sathish Babanna in Mysuru for allegedly abducting another woman seen in videos of purported sexual assaults.
According to PTI, Revanna is said to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka was held. The SIT has issued a lookout notice against him. His advocate had sought for seven days’ time for him to appear before the SIT, but the team turned down the request.
Meanwhile, a political slugfest continued with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi writing a letter to CM Siddaramaiah, requesting him to extend all possible support to the victims in the case, even as he hit out at both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the JD(S), who are fighting the Lok Sabha polls in an alliance.
In his letter to Siddaramaiah dated May 3, Gandhi alleged that Prajwal sexually assaulted and filmed hundreds of women over several years. “Many who looked up to him as a brother and son were brutalised in the most violent manner and robbed of their dignity. The rape of our mothers and sisters warrants the strictest possible punishment,” he said.
The Congress leader expressed that he is deeply shocked to learn that as far back as December 2023, our home minister Amit Shah was informed by G Devaraje Gowda about Prajwal Revanna’s antecedents, especially his history of sexual violence and the presence of videos filmed by the perpetrator.
“What is even more shocking is that despite these gruesome allegations being brought to the notice of the senior most BJP leadership, the Prime Minister campaigned and canvassed for a mass rapist. Furthermore, the Union government wilfully allowed him to flee India to derail any meaningful investigation,” Gandhi said in the letter and requested the CM to “kindly extend all possible support to the victims”.
Responding to the letter, the chief minister assured Gandhi of an “impartial investigation”.
“An impartial investigation will be conducted and no matter how many influential people are involved in the case, they will be handed over to the hands of the law. Along with wiping tears of the aggrieved, I am giving a promise @Rahul Gandhi and to everyone in the country that our government will stand with them in their struggle for justice,” he posted in Kannada on X
