NEW DELHI: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is processing a request by the Karnataka government to cancel the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna, the suspended Janata Dal (Secular) MP who is accused of sexual abuse of several women and is believed to be in Germany now. Official sources said the MEA has begun the process to revoke Prajwal's passport after receiving a letter from the Karnataka government.
The development comes amid repeated pleas by the family elders to Prajwal asking him to return to India.
Prajwal is the grandson of former PM HD Deve Gowda. The Hassan MP had left the country on April 27, a day after voting for the Lok Sabha elections took place in his constituency.
His grandfather and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda has issued a stern warning to Prajwal, instructing him to return to India immediately to face investigations.
The question remains that if the MEA cancels Prajwal's diplomatic passport, will he be able to obey is grandfather's instructions?
Gowda had warned Prajwal that he would have to “face my anger” if he did not heed the warning.
“It is not a request I am making. It is a stern warning that I am issuing. Don’t test my patience. Return from wherever you are and surrender to the police,” Gowda said on Thursday
Gowda warned that if Prajwal ignored this directive, he would have to face not only Gowda's anger but also that of the entire family.
“The law will take care of accusations against him, but not listening to the family will result in total isolation,” Gowda said.
Gowda assured that there would be no interference from him or any family members in the inquiry, underscoring his commitment to letting the legal process take its course.
Notably, a 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on Prajwal's whereabouts has already been issued by the Interpol following a request by the SIT.
Earlier this month, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prajwal travelled to Germany on a diplomatic passport and he did not seek political clearance for the trip.
"No political clearance was either sought from or issued by MEA in respect of the travel of the said MP to Germany," Jaiswal had said.
"Obviously, no visa note was issued either. No visa is required for diplomatic passport holders to travel to Germany. The ministry has not issued visa notes for any other country," the MEA spokesperson said.
Prajwal's father
HD Revanna
, a former Karnataka minister, was also booked on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. He is currently out on bail.
(With inputs from agencies)
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