Prajwal Revanna case: MEA got request to impound Hassan MP's passport on May 21, says S Jaishankar

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) was asked to seize the passport of Janata Dal-Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, who left for Germany following sexual assault accusations, only on May 21. 

In an exclusive interview, Jaishankar said: “To impound a passport is governed by an act called the Passport Act. We need a judicial court or a police request to do so. The MEA got this request from Karnataka only on May 21.” 

Prajwal, 33, was the NDA candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency. Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. The Janata Dal (Secular) leader, who was suspended later, caused a stir when several explicit videos supposedly featuring him emerged last month.

Earlier in the day, the External Affairs Ministry reportedly issued a show cause notice to Revanna in the sex tapes case, sources told India Today.

The Centre's show cause notice came after the Karnataka Chief Minister wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting the latter to cancel the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP.

Interpol issued a 'Blue Corner Notice' to locate him, after a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). A Special Court issued an arrest warrant for Prajwal on May 18.

The Karnataka government constituted SIT had previously requested the MEA to revoke Prajwal's diplomatic passport following an arrest warrant issued by a local court for sexual abuse allegations.

In between, former prime minister Deve Gowda issued a stern warning to his grandson Prajwal, urging him to return home and address the issue through legal means. Failure to do so may result in facing his wrath and that of the family, ultimately leading to isolation, Gowda told Prajwal.