Bangalore:
A lookout notice has been issued against Janata Dal secular MP Prajwal Revanna amid the political storm over the sexual harassment allegations against him. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said Revanna will have to appear before the Special Investigation Team probing the case at the earliest and indicated that he could be arrested if he does not show up. Earlier, the SIT had rejected his request for seven days' time to appear before the investigators.
33-year-old Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the center of a huge row after a woman accused him and his father, HD Revanna, of sexually harassing her. The woman, who told police that he worked as a cook at the Revannas' house, has also accused the JDS MP of harassing her daughter through video calls. A huge amount of explicit images allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna are circulating on the internet.
“They have to show up. If they do not, they will be arrested,” the minister said, referring to Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna.
Prajwal Revanna's lawyer Arun G had earlier said that there are several dimensions to the case and this took time to be addressed. “He has said that he needs seven days to come and cooperate with the investigation. I believe that an adjustment of seven days should not cause serious problems for the investigation,” he said.
The lawyer claimed that Prajwal has said that the videos have been changed. In a post on
The accusations have since led to a huge political row during the election season. The JDS has teamed up with the BJP for the polls and the allegations against Prajwal Revanna have prompted the Congress to launch an all-out attack on the BJP.
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and questioned his silence. “The leader on whose shoulder the Prime Minister puts his hand and has himself photographed, the leader for whom the Prime Minister himself will campaign ten days before the elections. He praises him on stage. Today that leader from Karnataka has absconded from the country. Just hearing about his heinous crimes makes my heart tremble. He ruined the lives of hundreds of women, will you shut up?,” she said in a post on X.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has hit back. He has said that the BJP cannot stand by those committing atrocities against women and wondered why the Congress government in Karnataka did not act against him earlier.
“We (BJP) have an alliance with the JD(S). Now (Prajwal) Revanna's CD has arrived. They (Congress) thought they could corner the BJP. I make it clear here that the BJP cannot stand with those who are committing atrocities against women,” the Home Minister has said. “You didn't take any action until the elections were over in the Vokkaliga belt. You did politics and let him (Prajwal Revanna) escape. If you have guts, tell the truth. Thanks to you, a heinous criminal has fled the country. he added.
The first JDS family belongs to the Vokkaliga community, which has significant influence in southern Karnataka. Fourteen Lok Sabha seats where Vokkaliga voters play a key role went to the polls on April 26.