Summarize

Simplifying... Inshort

Prajwal, a candidate for the National Democratic Alliance, has been accused of non-consensual sexual acts with women, with videos of the alleged abuse circulating on social media.
He has been missing since April 27, following a sexual harassment complaint.
Meanwhile, political figures Kumaraswamy and Shivakumar are accusing each other of conspiring to distribute the explicit videos, with Shivakumar suggesting Kumaraswamy is seeking his resignation.

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Political leaders accuse each other of misconduct

Prajwal's 'sex scandal': Shivakumar says Kumaraswamy behind pen drives' distribution

By Tanya Shrivastava

May 08, 2024

06:25 pm

What's the story

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Wednesday accused Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy of plotting to distribute thousands of pen drives containing purported explicit videos of his own nephew Prajwal Revanna. This comes a day after Kumaraswamy accused the Deputy CM of circulating 25,000 pen drives linked to Prajwal's sex scandal row just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections for political gain. In response, Shivakumar called the former CM the "king of blackmailing."

Context

Why does this story matter?

On Tuesday, Kumaraswamy accused state CM Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar of hatching a conspiracy to circulate the videos of women being abused—allegedly by Prajwal. To recall, Prajwal is missing since April 27, when his cook file a sexual harassment complaint against him and his father, HD Revanna—former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda's son and Kumaraswamy's brother. According to reports, Prajwal fled abroad on a diplomatic passport. The authorities have issued a "Blue Corner notice" against him.

Statement

Shivakumar hits out at Kumaraswamy

Mounting an attack on Kumaraswamy, Shivakumar said that the former CM was the "lead, director and producer of the story". "Kumaraswamy knows about the pen-drive [containing explicit video clips] matter completely... Kumaranna [Kumaraswamy] wants my resignation, it seems there is competition for the Vokkaliga leadership. Let me give resignation, as he wants it," Shivakumar said sarcastically.

Amid Lok Sabha elections

Prajwal sex scandal row explained

These videos came to light on April 25, just one day prior to polling in the Hassan constituency—from where Prajwal is seeking re-election as a candidate for the National Democratic Alliance, which is led by the Bharatiya Janata Party. The 2,976 videos, believed to have been filmed in either Hassan or Holenarasipura in the southern state, have been widely circulated on social media. The purported videos of Prajwal which show him involved in non-consensual sexual acts with women.