Hassan sex abuse: Accused Prajwal Revanna to face SIT on May 31

Bengaluru: Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who left India a month ago following allegations of serial sexual abuse, released a video statement and said he would appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) this Friday.

According to sources, Prajwal is likely to be detained by authorities on his arrival. He will be arrested due to a pending arrest warrant issued on May 18 by a Special Court for Elected Representatives after the SIT moved an application.

The SIT had issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against Prajwal, who is former prime minister H D Deve Gowda’s grandson. A Blue Corner Notice was also issued by Interpol seeking the MP’s whereabouts following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The SIT was yet to receive a response to the request, sources said.

In the 2.57-minute-long video in which he does not reveal his whereabouts, Prajwal apologised to his parents, Deve Gowda, uncle H D Kumaraswamy, citizens of the state and JD(S) workers. He made the video five days after Gowda had publicly chided him for failing to return. 

Prajwal claimed to have slipped into depression, which he said forced him into isolation.

“My foreign trip was pre-planned and there was no case registered against me at the time. I slipped into depression after seeing statements and comments of some Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, against me in public events. That forced me to go into isolation,” Prajwal said. 

“Even in Hassan, all forces came together to tarnish my image,” Prajwal said, expressing confidence that he would come out clean from “false cases”.

“Some people who could not tolerate my political growth conspired against me. This shocked me. That is why I decided to maintain distance for a few days,” he said. 

Prajwal requested his family members and followers to have faith in him. “I will fight it out legally. I have faith in law.” 

Reacting to Prajwal’s video, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said the MP must face the law. “No matter what he says, he has no choice but to appear before the SIT. The law will take its course,” he said. On Prajwal mentioning Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar said: “Rahul spoke based on media reports. There is nothing wrong with that. Time will answer.”