Siddaramaiah accuses Deve Gowda of helping his rape-accused grandson escape
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has accused former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda of helping his grandson, Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, flee to Germany amid ongoing sexual assault allegations against him. Siddaramaiah made the accusations after Gowda expressed shock over the allegations against his grandson in a public letter and demanded the harshest punishment if found guilty. "I think Deve Gowda himself sent Prajwal. The letter...written by him is only for public consumption," the Congress leader added.
Why does this story matter?
Revanna stands accused of sexually assaulting several women and filming these acts. Thousands of pen drives containing videos of the alleged assault were distributed in public places, just days before the Hassan Lok Sabha election last month. The clips were reportedly shot by Prajwal himself and showed the faces of the women he allegedly abused. As an investigation into the case was underway, he fled to Germany.
Deve Gowda's public letter to fugitive grandson
In his public letter, Gowda had also urged his grandson to return to India immediately, warning him not to "test my patience any further." "If he does not heed to this warning, he will have to face my anger and anger of all his family members," Gowda's letter read. This sentiment has been echoed by Gowda's son and former Karnataka Chief Minister, H.D Kumaraswamy, who has also been accused of kidnapping and molestation.
Siddaramaiah urges PM Modi to cancel Prajwal's passport
Since the allegations surfaced, Siddaramaiah has repeatedly urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel Revanna's diplomatic passport. He alleges that Revanna used his diplomatic privileges to escape India and evade criminal proceedings. "He has abused his diplomatic privileges to flee the country and escape criminal proceedings," Siddaramaiah stated. The 33-year-old MP from Karnataka's Hassan left India on April 27, a day after polls concluded in his constituency.
