HM welcomes Prajwal's statement on return

Bengaluru, NT Bureau: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Monday welcomed the statement of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, that he would appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and cooperate with the probe later this week.

Prajwal's uncle and JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy said there was "some solace", as the former has responded to the family's directions to come back and face the investigation. Exactly a month after he left the country, Prajwal released a video statement in which he promised to appear before the SIT, probing the cases against him, on May 31.

Further pointing out that the state government had requested the Centre to cancel his diplomatic passport to bring him back at the earliest, the Home Minister said the Ministry of External Affairs had recently stated that the process was underway to cancel his passport.

"I welcome Prajwal's statement. He must come and appear and say what he has to before the SIT. The SIT based on the information and evidence it has may have to arrest him, as an arrest warrant has been issued. But, when he is surrendering, how SIT will take it we need to see," he added.

Asked about the source of Prajwal's video statement, Parameshwara said, "I don't know, you (media) showed me. I got information a couple of hours ago that he had released a statement, but I had not seen the video."

To a question on why the source of the video can't be traced, he said, "You and I may not know, but SIT would..." Responding to a question on Centre's cooperation, the Minister said, "The Centre did not (cooperate) properly. The External Affairs Minister said his diplomatic passport will be cancelled, but it was not... they have not responded to your request."

On Prajwal's claims that cases registered against him were false, he said, "Everyone claims they are not guilty. If not guilty, fine. If not guilty, a question arises -- who committed the wrong... SIT based on evidence will say what they have to."

Reacting to Prajwal's statement alleging political conspiracy and also taking the name of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, "I don't know about it, I heard from you. What options does he (Prajwal) have? Law will take its own course. Whatever information he has through the media, Rahul Gandhi has spoken."

Addressing reporters, Kumaraswamy expressed solace as Prajwal responded to the family's directions to come back. BJP leader R Ashoka said there should be a probe, though Prajwal has accepted that nobody is above law.