CM: HDK diluting Prajwal case with allegations

Mysuru, NT Bureau: Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said JD(S) second-in-command and former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy is trying to dilute the rape and sexual offence charges against his nephew and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna by "talking gibberish" against Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and others. He alleged that the JD(S) first family of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda helped him flee the country.

Siddaramaiah also said the Prime Minister's office did not respond to his two letters for cancellation of Prajwal's diplomatic passport.

“His (Kumaraswamy's) nephew has done rape and sexual harassment. It is not important who circulated the video. The person who raped has committed a crime. To dilute it, Kumaraswamy is talking gibberish and is blaming Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and others. He should respect the law of the land,” Siddaramaiah told reporters here in Mysuru.

The 33-year-old Prajwal is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda and is the NDA's candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment.

He is facing charges of sexually abusing multiple women after a huge cache of videos of the alleged abuse by Prajwal surfaced. Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large.

The chief minister said Prajwal committed offences but yet Kumaraswamy says his nephew is not a criminal but an accused.

On former prime minister Deve Gowda's warning that his grandson Prajwal will be isolated if he does not return to India, Siddaramaiah sought to know whether he could leave the country without the knowledge of his family members.

Regarding Kumaraswamy's statement that he was not in contact with Prajwal, he pointed out that Kumaraswamy had called Prajwal his son while canvassing for him during the Lok Sabha elections.

On Kumaraswamy's apprehension that this case will not reach its logical end, Siddaramaiah said, “We have got all confidence in the SIT. The SIT is formed for a dedicated investigation into the case."