SEX GATE: MEA Responds To Demand For Impounding Revanna’s Passport   

The Karnataka government has formally requested the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to revoke the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna, a suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Member of Parliament (MP) from Hassan. Revanna is currently facing allegations of mass sexual abuse and is currently in Germany.

Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of JD (S) chief and former premier HD Deve Gowda, is the main accused in a high-profile case of mass sexual abuse. He is facing charges of criminal intimidation, sexual harassment, and stalking after hundreds  of videos emerged purportedly showing him in sexual acts with multiple women. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the case wrote to the external affairs ministry to cancel Revanna’s diplomatic passport after a warrant was issued for his arrest in a rape case registered by a former domestic help.

The Karnataka government formally requested the MEA to revoke Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport. The request was made after the Special Court for Elected Representatives in Bengaluru issued an arrest warrant for Revanna. Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging prompt action to cancel Revanna’s passport. The External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that  to impound a passport, the process  is governed by an act called the Passport Act. “We need a judicial court or a police request to do so.” The MEA got this request from Karnataka only on May 21. The procedure was initiated.