India’s southern state of Karnataka investigates a lawmaker whose party is a key ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on suspicion of sexual harassment, the state’s chief minister has said.
The scion of a prominent political family, the lawmaker, Prajwal Revanna, 33, is the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, the nephew of a former chief minister of the state and the son of another former Karnataka minister.
The accusations surfaced last week as half of the state voted in India’s seven-phase general elections, in which Revanna was seeking a second term for his Janata Dal (Secular) party.
“The government has decided to form a special investigation team in connection with Prajwal Revanna’s obscene video case,” Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, whose Congress party is a BJP rival, said in a social media post over the weekend.
“Obscene video clips are circulating ... where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted,” he added.
Police registered a complaint against Revanna based on the statement of a woman who worked in the family home, and also named his father, HD Revanna, as a suspect, media said.
“I will not react about anything,” his father told reporters on Monday, but added the son would return when required.
“Since this has been handed over to a special investigation team, I will not say anything that will affect it,” HD Revanna added. “He had to go on a trip and he has gone ... He will come when he is called to join the investigation.”
The Karnataka government has issued a lookout notice for Revanna after he failed to appear before the Special Investigation Team, The Hindu reported on Thursday.
Revanna is believed to be in the city of Munich in Germany, where he flew to between April 27 and April 28 using his diplomatic passport.
The Hindu cited unidentified sources as saying that Revanna is expected to return to India on May 15.
Revanna will be detained immediately when he enters India at any immigration point at airports, sea ports or at border check posts.
On Tuesday, the Janata Dal (Secular) suspended Prajwal Revanna and issued a notice asking him to explain why further action should not be taken against him.
