Siddaramaiah pens second letter to PM Modi seeking cancellation of Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport

In the letter shared on social media on Thursday, Siddaramaiah said, “It is disheartening that my previous letter raising similar concerns on the issue has not, to the best of my knowledge, been acted upon despite the gravity of the situation.”

Prajwal Revanna, 33, is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda and is the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) candidate from Hassan in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. After obscene videos of Revanna sexually abusing several women came out, he reportedly left for Germany on April 27 using a diplomatic passport. After a victim came forward to file a complaint of sexual abuse, the first FIR was registered against him on April 28.

Revanna fled the country soon after news of his “heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first case was filed against him”, Siddaramaiah wrote to PM Modi.

“He has abused his diplomatic privileges to flee the country and to escape criminal proceedings,” Siddaramaiah added.

On May 18, a special court for public representatives issued an arrest warrant for the MP following an application moved by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe cases against Revanna. After seeking a week to appear before investigating officials, he failed to turn up and is said to be holed up in Germany.

“It is a matter of serious concern that the accused Prajwal Revanna has managed to remain in hiding to this day despite the issue of a Look Out Circular, a Blue Corner Notice and two notices by the Investigating Officer under section 41A CrPC…. Needless to emphasise that such abuse of privileges and deliberate acts of non-cooperation with the legal proceedings deserves serious action by the central government or its instrumentalities so as to secure the presence of the accused to face investigation and trial,” Siddaramaiah said.

Siddaramaiah’s letter was shared amidst reports that the Karnataka government had requested the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to cancel the MP’s diplomatic passport.

The Prjwal Revanna episode resulted in a major embarrassment to the BJP-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka. Soon after the SIT launched its probe, JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy accused it of working at the whims of the state government. Both coalition partners demanded a CBI probe or a judicial investigation into the cases registered against Revanna.

Identifying the source of the video leak remains the prime demand of JD(S) and Kumaraswamy squarely blamed Deputy Chief Minister and Congress president D K Shivakumar for the same. BJP leader G Devarajegowda, who was arrested recently, alleged that Shivakumar offered him Rs 100 crore to blame Kumaraswamy for the leak. Shivakumar, however, termed the allegations baseless.

Two people, considered aides of Karnataka BJP general secretary Preetham Gowda, were arrested on May 12 in connection with the video leak case. Subsequently, raids were carried out on the residences and offices of several people, including Naveen Gowda, a Congress worker, among the prime accused in the case.