Bengaluru, 25 May

Senior JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy on Saturday raked up the death of Siddaramaiah's son in a foreign country eight years ago, seeking to know why the Chief Minister did not order a probe into it.

The statement drew a sharp reaction from Siddaramaiah, who termed it Kumaraswamy's 'foolishness' to rake up his son's death.

Rakesh Siddaramaiah had died due to multiple organ failure in Belgium on 30 July, 2016 during the first tenure of Siddaramaiah as the Chief Minister.

Lashing out at him for his comment that Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna fled the country with the knowledge of his family members, including his grandfather HD Deve Gowda, Kumaraswamy said other than keeping the issue alive, no efforts are being made to bring out the truth in the sexual abuse case.

"The Chief Minister's son had also gone abroad and met with an accident. Which event he had gone for? Did he take Siddaramaiah's permission?" Kumaraswamy asked. "Why was it covered up? Did he send him abroad?"

Kumaraswamy also asked him to disclose details of the number of people who had accompanied Rakesh during his foreign trip in 2016. Kumaraswamy alleged that the Prajwal sexual abuse case was being used to "finish off" his family politically.

Siddaramaiah said, "Rakesh had died eight years ago. It is his foolishness to raise Rakesh's case." "Rakesh died in 2016. What is the connection between that case and Prajwal's case? His (Kumaraswamy's) nephew (Prajwal) is a rapist," he said. -PTI