If Prajwal doesn’t return further process will follow: Karnataka Home Minister

Bengaluru, May 30 (PTI) Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Thursday said in case suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, does not return to the country on May 31, further action such as cancellation of his passport will follow.

He also said if Prajwal comes he will be arrested and the legal process will be initiated.

Prajwal had released a video statement promising to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the cases against him, on May 31.

According to official sources, Prajwal booked a business-class ticket on Lufthansa’s Munich-Bengaluru flight, which is expected to land at the Kempegowda International Airport at 12.30 am IST on May 31.

“The information is he (Prajwal) will come, he has booked the flight ticket. SIT has made necessary preparations. If he comes the legal process will begin,” Parameshwara said.

Addressing reporters here, he said, “as per law, a warrant has been issued against him, so he will have to be arrested, SIT will decide and do it.”

“He (Prajwal) himself has said in the video statement that he will appear before SIT on May 31 at 10 am, not us. So I feel that he will come… In case he doesn’t, the process will follow like cancelling his passport, we will again request the Interpol through CBI, as the state government cannot do it directly, we will have to do it through Government of India agencies,” he added.

A team of SIT officials is camping at the airport here to arrest Prajwal.

As per procedure, the immigration officials will detain him and hand him over to the SIT, as there is a lookout notice against him, they said.

Responding to a question on reports that SIT has found out that Prajwal’s video statement was recorded in Hungary and was released from there, and why no attempt was made to arrest him, Parameshwara said, “we cannot go there and arrest, even the central government cannot do. That’s the reason Interpol’s help was sought and a Blue Corner notice was issued. There is a procedure for everything.”

Asked whether Prajwal’s passport will be impounded, he said the state has requested the Centre to cancel his passport, depending on the legal process they might cancel.

“The External Affairs Minister has said that the process has been initiated in this regard, so they might do it,” he added.

Prajwal (33), the grandson of JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and the NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of sexually abusing women.

He reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. A ‘Blue Corner Notice’ seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The cases of sexual abuse came to light after several pen drives allegedly containing explicit videos involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.