BAGALKOT, 3 MAY 

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Friday said a rape case has been booked against JD(S) leader and NDA’s Hassan candidate Prajwal Revanna. Siddaramaiah said he has directed police to identify, trace and secure the victims given the alleged kidnapping of a victim at Krishnaraja Nagar town in Mysuru district. 

The mother of three children was allegedly abducted by Holenarasipura MLA and Prajwal’s father HD Revanna and his confidant Sathish Babanna from her home after her 20-year-old son complained to the police. He said videos showed that his mother was allegedly tied and raped by Prajwal. Police have arrested Babanna and are interrogating him in connection with the case, a police source said.

The Chief Minister said BJP committed a wrong in Prajwal Revanna case. “Both BJP and JD(S) knew about Prajwal Revanna’s videos. Prajwal Revanna’s case is not just sexual harassment. He has raped women,” Siddaramaiah said.

Supporting the complainants, he said, “Will a woman lie that she has been raped? Won’t her life get destroyed after the complaint? If a married woman says openly that she has been raped then we have to accept it.”

He said there is a law of presumption. "Women never lie (on these issues). Victims won’t lie. Shouldn’t this be accepted? Why did they give the ticket (to Prajwal) despite knowing it? Why did they (BJP) forge an alliance (with the JD-S)?" the Chief Minister asked.

The Chief Minister took a dig at Kumaraswamy saying they have separated themselves from Revanna but during the election, he campaigned for him and said his son Nikhil and nephew Prajwal Revanna were not different. “Whatever they do, they do it together – be it politics or misdeeds,” he said.

On Prajwal staying in Germany, Siddaramaiah said wherever he has escaped, the government would ensure that he is caught and brought back. “Whichever country he is staying in, we will get him from there. That’s why I have written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to cancel his diplomatic passport,” the Chief Minister said. -PTI