BENGALURU: Hassan MP
Prajwal Revanna
’s former driver, Karthik, has gone into hiding following a notice from the SIT. He had admitted to handing over a pen drive containing videos of the JD(S) politician’s alleged sexual misconduct to BJP worker Devaraje Gowda.
Karthik
had been employed by Prajwal for 13 years and parted ways a year ago over an alleged land deal.
In a video statement, Karthik expressed uncertainty about whether Gowda utilised the pen drive for personal gain. He also disclaimed knowledge about the distribution of pen drives containing explicit video clips. “I don’t know who distributed the pen drives,” he said.
He vowed to provide comprehensive details to the investigators, stating, “They are levelling allegations against me. I will disclose everything in detail before the SIT.”
Former CM
HD Kumaraswamy
accused deputy CM
DK Shivakumar
and his brother, DK Suresh, of involvement in the disappearance of the driver and raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the release of the driver’s video statement.
“The driver’s video statement has been released… Where is Karthik? Where was it (video statement) made and released? Why was the video hurriedly made and given to news channels? Who gave it? He is in Malaysia,” Kumaraswamy said. “Who sent Karthik to Malaysia? What is the need for the video to be sent from there?” he added.
However, Shivakumar responded, “Is it so? My brother (HDK) has all the information. Let him take information from the Centre (as to) who has sent (the video) and who has made it. Am I mad (to send Karthik to Malaysia)? I will fight on the streets, but not by sending someone somewhere. I don’t need to do such things; he (Kumaraswamy) may be in need to do such things.”
Rejecting the allegations, Gowda stated that Karthik had been associated with Congress’s Hassan Lok Sabha constituency candidate Shreyas Patel, implying motives behind the release of the video for the party’s political benefit.
