Karnataka JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, who fled the country after his sex tapes went viral and following sexual harassment cases against him, said that he will appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on May 31.
"Don’t mistake me, on the 31st at 10 am, I will be in front of the SIT and I will cooperate. I trust the judiciary and these are false cases against me. I trust the law," he said to India Today.
The 33-year-old Hassan MP, who is the grandson of JDS patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. He left the country on April 26 after several videos of him sexually abusing multiple women emerged.
He called the allegations "a political conspiracy" and said he was in "depression and isolation". He also apologised to the JDS leader and party workers for not providing his whereabouts.
"I want to apologise to my family members, my Kumaranna [HD Kumaraswamy], and the party workers for not providing proper information about my whereabouts abroad. On April 26th, when the elections were over, there was no case against me. The SIT wasn't formed. Two or three days after I left, I saw these allegations against me on YouTube. I also wrote to the SIT via my lawyer asking for seven days' time," he said.
Prajwal further alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders spoke about it openly in public, saying, "This is a political conspiracy". The JDS and BJP are alliance partners in Karnataka. "I apologise as I went into depression and into isolation," he added. A Special Court for Elected Representatives had issued an arrest warrant on May 18 against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the SIT. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the CBI.
Prajwal, son of JDS MLA HD Revanna, is said to be in Germany. Notably, his statement came three days after HD Deve Gowda issued a stern warning to his grandson, asking him to return to India, surrender to the police or face his wrath.
HD Revanna is also facing two cases, along with his son. One is related to the molestation of a cook, who was also allegedly raped by Prajwal, and the other relates to the kidnapping of a woman. He is out on bail.
