Prajwal Revanna case: 'Pen drive was circulated by police officers,' claims HD Kumaraswamy

Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Tuesday claimed that Prajwal Revanna's videos were circulated by police officers throughout the state intentionally. "I'm addressing this PC over a dirty incident which shouldn't have happened in society. On 21st of April, a pen drive was circulated throughout the state. It was done by Police officers. They circulated it in Bengaluru Rural, Mandya, and also in Hassan intentionally," he said. 

The Hassan Lok Sabha seat went to polls in the second phase on April 26. 

Kumaraswamy said Prajwal Revanna's election agent Poornachandra filed a complaint with the Hassan DC and Police on 22nd April. "At 8 pm on the night of 21st April, a person called Naveen Gowda tweeted to watch Prajwal Revanna's videos. I am not defending anything in those videos. Law has to take its own course, punishment must be given. There is no question of safeguarding anyone, irrespective of who they are," he said. 

The former chief minister said that a complaint was filed against Naveen Gowda, Karthik Gowda, Chetan and Putti/Purtaraju. "No action has been taken against any of them though FIR was filed on 21st April. On 26th April, Returning Officer replied and closed the complaint...no action has been taken by the Police or Election Returning Officer till now. Who shared the videos and pen drive? When the voting was happening, the CM told at least 100 times that HD Kumaraswamy and JD(S) candidates will lose for sure and JD(S) will lose."

Kumaraswamy said the Karnataka government does not want a fair inquiry and nothing is going to happen ultimately. "They wanted the character assassination of HD Revanna and for that reason, they are using their office. With all documentary evidence, we are going to submit a memorandum to the Governor to take action against this govt. The way this inquiry is going on, it seems this is not Special Investigation Team but Siddaramaiah/Shivakumar Investigation Team," he said. 

On Sunday, the Karnataka government said a Blue Corner Notice had been issued against Prajwal Revanna, facing sexual abuse allegations, while his MLA father was remanded to custody in a related case. 

Explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal, grandson of JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, had started making the rounds in Hassan ahead of elections in Hassan, following which the state government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the sexual abuse allegations against the MP.

Prajwal's father and JD(S) MLA HD Revanna was remanded to police custody till May 8 by a Bengaluru court in connection with a case of alleged kidnapping and illegal confining of a woman. Revanna was arrested on Saturday by the SIT after his bail plea was rejected in the case related to kidnapping and illegally confining a woman who is the mother of three children.