MYSURU: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has expressed confidence that the state police will conduct a thorough investigation into the Prajwal Revanna case and said that there is no need to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Responding to media queries about JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy’s request to the Governor to hand over the Prajwal Revanna case to the CBI, the Chief Minister said, “I have confidence in our police. There is no need to hand over Prajwal Revanna’s case to CBI”.
“Has the BJP ever handed over a single case to the CBI? Earlier, during the Congress government the D K Ravi case, the lottery case, the allegation against Minister K J George, and Paresh Mesta cases were handed over to CBI”, the CM said while questioning whether anyone had been punished in these cases.
“In the past BJP itself has described CBI as Corruption Bureau of Investigation. Deve Gowda said that CBI is a Chor Bachao organisation. Do they trust CBI now? I have faith in CBI. However, we have faith in our police”, the CM said. He also explained that a special investigation team (SIT) has also been formed for this issue.
“Our government does not interfere in legal proceedings and investigations. We believe that the team is doing things appropriately. We have never advised them to work against the law. There is no need for an investigation at the international level. We have to trust our police. Is it not our police who investigate all criminal cases? Haven’t we formed a special investigation team?” the CM added.
The Chief Minister made it clear that neither he nor DK Shivakumar was involved in this case, and added “We have confidence that the truth will come out”. Responding to the allegation of political interference in H D Revanna’s arrest, the Chief Minister said, “If there is no truth in the allegation against him, why did he seek anticipatory bail?” He also questioned why the anticipatory bail application was rejected.
On May 9, a delegation of the JD(S), led by former CM H D Kumaraswamy, met Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot and submitted a memorandum urging for an “impartial probe” into the case.
“We have submitted before the Governor all the developments that have taken place in this case till now. We requested him to urge the Central government to conduct a fair inquiry into this case. Where is the investigation going? What is Revanna’s role in this? Why have they arrested Revanna? The state government is misusing the power. Where are the victims? Congress is saying there are more than 2,900 victims, but where are they?” Kumaraswamy asked while speaking to reporters. (ANI)