Govt has written to MEA to cancel diplomatic passport of Prajwal: Home Minister

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Tuesday said the state government has written to the Ministry of External Affairs to cancel the diplomatic passport of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual abuse, on the basis of an arrest warrant issued against him by a court.

The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and is the NDA's candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women.

Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large.

"CM (Chief Minister) has already written to the Prime Minister, but the department (Home) writing it in accordance with law is different. Warrant has been issued now, on the basis of the warrant, a letter has been written stating that -- warrant has been issued and the diplomatic passport has to be cancelled," Parameshwara said.

Speaking to reporters here, he said if the passport is cancelled, it will be impossible for Prajwal to stay anymore in the foreign country, and he will have to come back.

"We have written to the Ministry of External Affairs as matters related to passports come under them, they will have to respond to it," he added.

A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on Saturday against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the state government to probe the serial sex abuse charges against the MP.

Earlier, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had on May 1 written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to move the Ministries of External Affairs and Home Affairs to take swift action to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna.

A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on Prajwal's whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Responding to a question on JD(S) leader and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy requesting Prajwal Revanna, who is also his nephew, to return to India and face the probe, Parameshwara said, "I have seen it in the media, it is their family's internal matter, let him (Prajwal) come and face the law."

Regarding Kumaraswamy alleging that 40 phones including his own and those of his family members and supporters are being tapped, the Home Minister said, "I have already said that the government has not tapped the phones of Kumaraswamy or 40 people that he has claimed. If he has accurate information that it has been done, let him give the information, we will get it investigated as to who has done it and why."

Asked whether the purported audio of alleged conversation between Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and BJP leader Devaraje Gowda about the leak of explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, that has surfaced will also be probed by the SIT, Parameshwara said, "they (SIT) will decide it, at every level the government will not instruct about the investigation, we have nothing to do with it. SIT has been given total freedom to investigate and they will investigate as per their mandate."