Kumaraswamy claims pen drive circulated by cops, demands CBI probe into ‘obscene videos’

BENGALURU: Former Chief Minister and Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday alleged that the pen drive containing obscene videos, allegedly linked to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, was circulated by police officers and demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the case.

Addressing a press conference, Kumaraswamy claimed that the video of the alleged obscene video case was “intentionally” circulated. “I’m addressing this press conference over a dirty incident that shouldn’t have happened in society. On April 21, a pen drive was circulated throughout the state. It was done by police officers. They circulated it in Bengaluru Rural, Mandya and also in Hassan intentionally. No action has been taken by the police or election returning officer till now. Who shared the videos and pen drive? When the voting was happening, CM has said at least 100 times that H D Kumaraswamy and JD(S) candidates would lose for sure”, Kumaraswamy alleged.

#WATCH | 'Obscene videos' case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna | Bengaluru: Former Karnataka CM and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy says, "This govt does not want a fair inquiry. Nothing is going to happen ultimately. They wanted the character assassination of HD Revanna and for… pic.twitter.com/cxFRD094ZS

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Calling the Special Investigation Team the “Siddaramaiah investigation team and the Shivakumar investigation team”, Kumaraswamy said that initially, he had thought that SIT would do a “free and fair investigation.”

“Truth has to come out. D K Shivakumar had said, ‘Kumaraswamy, you cannot win’. On April 26, elections concluded (second phase). Still, no action has been taken against anyone. On April 26, a letter was written to the CM by Nagalakshmi Choudhary, chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, mentioning ‘powerful leaders involved in it’. On April 28, a complaint was prepared and typed in Bengaluru and sent to Holenarasipura and an FIR was lodged there, no issues with that. So, CM formed the SIT quickly. I understand what’s happening. I thought SIT would do a free and fair investigation. But I realised it’s not a special investigation team, it’s a Siddaramaiah investigation team and a Shivakumar investigation team”, he said.

He described the SIT officials as ‘agents’ of D K Shivakumar and demanded that he should be suspended from the cabinet. “We know, there is an audio in which you have said Rs 30-40 crore were spent for that case. Please give it to judicial inquiry, as we don’t have faith in SIT. What I demand is D K Shivakumar’s conspiracy in this whole episode to tarnish the image of victims. D K Shivakumar must be removed from the cabinet minister’s post. I’m not going to leave this case so easily, everything must be brought out”, he said.

“If this Chief Minister has any morality, accept all these things, and he must suspend D K Shivakumar from the cabinet. SIT officials are working as agents of D K Shivakumar and Siddaramaiah. Why did these SIT officials ask to remove some paragraphs from his statements? Everyone knows what D K Shivakumar is an expert in, he’s an expert in these things. When you’re saying all these things must come out, give it to CBI, it should be given to CBI to bring everything out”, he added.

The JD(S) leader further said that he is not aware of where Prajwal Revanna is, adding that it is the responsibility of the Karnataka government and SIT to bring him back. “I don’t know where he is, I don’t even know when he went, I was busy in election campaigning. I came to know about this incident when he went out of the country. Now the responsibility falls on the SIT and government; let them bring him back”, he asserted.

He further claimed that the investigation by the state government in the case shows that there is a “conspiracy” to tarnish and destroy the family of H D Deve Gowda, which, he said, will never happen. “If all these Prajwal Revanna case or pen drive issues were known to me, I wouldn’t even think of giving a ticket to Prajwal Revanna from Hassan”, he said.

Kumaraswamy further said that he has secured a stay order from a court to restrict the media or anyone else from taking his name or that of Deve Gowda in this case. “I can’t say what decision the BJP will take, it’s up to them. My statement is that such an incident shouldn’t have happened in this country. Whoever is responsible, must be dealt with properly”, he said.

The call for a CBI investigation comes after the arrest of Janata Dal (Secular) leader H D Revanna in a kidnapping case linked to the ‘obscene video’ case. Following his arrest on May 4, Revanna was sent to State Investigation Team (SIT) police custody from May 5 until May 8.

HD Revanna and his son Prajwal Revanna, who is the sitting MP and candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, are facing a probe by a Special Investigative Team (SIT), constituted by the Karnataka government, over allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a complaint by a woman who worked in their household.

The Holenarsipura MLA and his associate were booked under Sections 364A (kidnapping for ransom), 365 (kidnapping with intent to cause harm), and 34 (common intention) of the IPC. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has constituted an SIT team to probe the matter. (ANI)