Police are prepared to arrest suspended JD(S) member Prajwal Revanna, who faces sexual abuse charges, upon his arrival at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport. The arrest warrant was issued earlier this month. Prajwal has booked a flight from Munich to Bengaluru on May 30, expected to land early Friday.
“He has booked a flight from Munich to Bengaluru with Lufthansa Airlines, departing Thursday afternoon and arriving at 12:05 am on Friday,” an official told PTI.
Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara confirmed on Wednesday that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) is ready to arrest the embattled JD(S) MP. “All necessary measures have been taken. A warrant has been issued against him. He will be arrested, and the SIT will take his statement and begin their process,” Parameshwara told reporters.
When asked if Prajwal would be arrested upon landing, Parameshwara said, “The arrest has to be done at the airport as a warrant has been issued. So he will be arrested there.”
Obscene videos allegedly showing Prajwal Revanna, a two-time MP from Hassan, sexually abusing several women surfaced in April, just days before his constituency voted in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections. He fled abroad on April 27 using his diplomatic passport shortly after the Karnataka State Commission for Women urged Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to investigate.
Two days ago, Prajwal released a video message promising to appear before the SIT on May 31 and cooperate with the inquiry.
On Tuesday, Parameshwara mentioned that further actions would be taken if Prajwal failed to appear for the probe on May 31. “I don’t know what prompted him to release that video… We will see what happens on May 31. If he doesn’t turn up, the next procedure will start,” he said.
Prajwal previously canceled flight tickets from Germany twice, PTI reported, citing informed sources. In a final attempt to avoid arrest, the Hassan MP sought anticipatory bail from a special court for public representatives, but his request was denied on Wednesday.
