Trouble mounted on Thursday for Prajwal Revanna, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, with Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah writing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the second time to cancel the diplomatic passport of the suspended JD (S) MP, and the MEA saying it was processing the request for revocation of his passport.
Meanwhile, former prime minister and Prajwal's grandfather Deve Gowda issued a "stern warning", asking his grandson to come home and face the matter legally, lest he should face his anger and that of the family members leading to his isolation.
Reacting to the Karnataka Chief Minister's second missive to the Prime Minister, Union minister Pralhad Joshi said there is a process to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal, and asserted the Centre is ready to cooperate in bringing him back to the country.
In New Delhi, official sources said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has received a letter from the Karnataka government seeking revocation of Revanna's diplomatic passport.
"The MEA has received a letter from the Karnataka government for cancellation of diplomatic passport in respect of MP Prajwal Revanna. This is being processed," a source said.
The MEA's explanation came in the wake of Siddaramaiah's second missive to PM Modi on the issue, urging him to take "prompt and necessary" actions to cancel Prajwal's diplomatic passport.
In his letter to Modi, the chief minister said it was "shameful that Prajwal, 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...shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him." The Chief Minister, who had written to the PM on May 1 on the subject, further said the Karnataka government has taken prompt action to meet the ends of justice by setting up a special team to probe the matter.
On his part, Deve Gowda said: "At this juncture, I can do only one thing; I can issue a stern warning to Prajwal and ask him to return from wherever he is and surrender before the police. He should subject himself to the legal process." The 92-year-old veteran in a statement in Bengaluru also made it clear it was not an appeal but a warning.
"If he does not heed this warning, he will have to face my anger and the anger of all his family members. The law will take care of the accusations against him, but not listening to the family will ensure his total isolation. If he has any respect left for me, he has to return immediately," Gowda said.
"I wish to also make it clear that I will ensure that there will be no interference in the enquiry against him from me or my family members. There is no emotion in this regard in my mind whatsoever, there is only the cause of justice for those who have suffered as a result of his alleged actions and misdeeds," he added.
Earlier, Joshi in Karnataka's Kalaburagi city told reporters that "there is a process to get him (Prajwal) back from abroad and the Government of India is ready to extend cooperation to the state government by following necessary processes in accordance with the law." Attacking the Karnataka government, he questioned why it did not file a case and detain Prajwal before he flew abroad. Joshi also accused the Congress dispensation of trying to blame the Centre and playing politics on the issue.
He was responding to a question on Siddarmaiah's second letter to Modi on the issue.
"There is a process to cancel diplomatic passports...so far Siddaramaiah, D K Shivakumar (deputy CM) and Parameshwara (Home Minister) have not responded to my question." "The first pen drive containing clipping (explicit clippings involving Prajwal) came out on April 21 and Prajwal Revanna left abroad on April 27. Were they guarding donkeys for seven days? Why didn't you file an FIR and detain him," Joshi asked.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the NDA candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of sexually abusing several women.
Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on May 18 against Prajwal, following an application moved by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
