Prajwal Revanna Sexual Assault Case: In the latest developements pertaining to the case of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna sexual assault case, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Wednesday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and requested him to cancel the Diplomatic Passport of the JD(S) MP "along with prompt and concerted actions to secure his return to India."
"Shameful that Prajwal Revanna...fled the country on 27th April 2024 to Germany using his diplomatic passport shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him," the letter read.
Prajwal Revanna, the 33-year-old grandson of former Prime Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, is currently in hiding in a foreign country as the Karnataka government established a Special Investigation Team to look into the case. A court has issued an arrest warrant for him, while Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice to gather information on his whereabouts.
The Karnataka CM has said that it is "disheartening" that his previous letter on the issue had not been acted-upon, despite the gravity of the situation. Earlier on May 1, Siddaramaiah had written to the Prime Minister urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal.
Recently, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe the serial sexual abuse charges against the JD(S) MP, had also written to the MEA to cancel his diplomatic passport, on the basis of an arrest warrant issued against him by the court.
"I write to you once again to draw attention to the grave series of incidents that Prajwal Revanna has been accused of committing. These incidents have not only shocked the conscience of the people of the State of Karnataka but have also caused a nationwide concern," Siddaramaiah said in his letter.
He said, "It is shameful that Prajwal Revanna, a Member of Parliament from Hassan constituency, who is also contesting for re-election in the present general elections, and who is the grandson of a former Prime Minister, fled the country, the 27th of April, 2024 to Germany using his diplomatic passport bearing number D1135500 shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him."
Accusing Prajwal Revanna of abusing his diplomatic privileges to flee the country and to escape criminal proceedings, the Congress leader further stated, the state government has taken prompt actions to meet the ends of justice by setting up a SIT for investigation of the matter.
The SIT is investigating the alleged crimes of Prajwal Revanna against women and is making efforts to secure the presence of the accused in order to face the criminal charges, he said.
"It is a matter of serious concern that the accused Prajwal Revanna has managed to remain in hiding to this day despite the issue of a Look Out Circular, a Blue Corner Notice and two notices by the Investigating Officer under section 41A CrPC. The FIR against Prajwal Revanna contains charges in the nature of rape, sexual assault, disrobing women and forcibly video-graphing sexual acts in order to threaten the victims," he noted.
Siddaramaiah said, "It is disheartening that my previous letter raising similar concerns on the issue has not, to the best of my knowledge, been acted -upon despite the gravity of the situation."
"Therefore, I urge you to kindly consider this matter with utmost seriousness and take prompt and necessary actions to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna, under Section 10(3)(h) of the Passport Act, 1967 or under any other relevant law and secure his return to the country in the interest of public," he further stated.