“SIT is an investigative agency like…” says Siddaramaiah about the sexual abuse case against Revanna

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on May 12 ruled out transferring the investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna to the CBI and reiterated his confidence in the state police special investigation team probing the case.

“We are letting our police (SIT) carry out the investigation, we have confidence in our police. They are efficient,” Siddaramaiah said in response to a question from the BJP demanding a CBI probe.

Talking to mediapersons, Siddaramaiah pointed out that the BJP once called CBI as the “Corruption Bureau of Investigation” and that the party never handed over a single case to the central agency during its rule despite repeated demands from the Congress.

He further said, “It is not that I have no faith in the CBI. The cases that need to be handed over to the CBI will be handed over. When I was the Prime Minister earlier, I had handed over seven cases to the CBI, but there.” “There was not a conviction in a single case… But that doesn’t mean that I don’t have faith in the CBI… SIT is also an investigative agency like that CBI, we will let our police conduct the investigation,” the news agency quoted PTI.

33-year-old JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, has been accused of sexually abusing women. The scandal triggered a political storm as the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) traded blows.

While the Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) – NDA partners – have demanded handover to the CBI and action against those behind the circulation of explicit videos.

Responding to allegations that BJP chief Devaraje Gowda was arrested to save the ruling Congress and its leaders who were allegedly behind the circulation of explicit videos, the CM said that it is the BJP’s job to make false claims. He (Devaraje Gowda) was arrested over allegations of sexual abuse against a woman. A report was filed on April 1st.

We do not interfere in the police investigation (SIT). The police have been given complete freedom, it is their duty to investigate and punish the guilty. Responding to a question on Union Minister Pralhad Joshi’s alleged statement accusing the Congress government of a “witch hunt” against BJP workers in connection with the case, Siddaramaiah said: Pralhad Joshi is a central minister and he should speak responsibly.

“…BJP leaders are experts in lying, they only make false allegations,” he said, adding that the SIT was conducting a fair investigation to mislead people and create confusion as such statements were made intentionally.

*With PTI inputs