Video scandal: No involvement of DyCM or myself in SIT probe, says CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru, May 10 (IANS) Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has clarified that there was no involvement of Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar or himself in the probe of the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna, the JD(S) MP and Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan.

Former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy had alleged that the SIT was trying to force victims to file complaints by threatening to fix them in prostitution cases. He had also met the Governor and demanded the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe.

The National Commission for Women (NCW) said on Thursday that one of the woman complainants in the case had claimed that she was forced by a group of people claiming to be police, to lodge a false complaint after being threatened with harassment.

Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Friday, CM Siddaramaiah said, “We believe in our police and we also trust them. Let the SIT conduct a probe lawfully and submit its report.”

“I had handed over the probe of many cases to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The BJP government in its tenure had not handed over any case to the CBI. The BJP addressed the CBI as the ‘Corruption Bureau of Investigation’. Former PM H.D. Deve Gowda called it the ‘Chor Bachavo Investigation’. Now, they are preferring the CBI," CM Siddaramaiah stated.

“We are not interfering in the probe. I have trust in the SIT investigation. It is going on the right track. Earlier, our police handled the cases efficiently. But, I won’t tell them to go against the law,” he stated.

“The scandal does not have any international link. The link is being brought to demand the CBI probe. SIT comprises our police. We should have faith in our police officers. All the criminal cases in the state are being investigated by them,” said the CM.

“I handed over the cases such as IAS officer D.K. Ravi's suicide case, Lottery scandal, Minister K.J. George's case and Hindu activist Paresh Mesta's death case to the CBI. In no case, conviction has happened. That does not mean I don’t trust the CBI agency. In this sex video scandal case, I trust the local police,” CM Siddaramiah stated.

The CM clarified that there was no interference by Shivakumar or himself in the case.

When asked about JD(S) claiming that its MLA H.D. Revanna has been fixed even as he had no role, CM Siddaramaiah asked, "If there was no case why did H.D. Revanna apply for anticipatory bail? Why did the court reject his anticipatory bail if there is no case against him? If the FIR is false, why was the plea for anticipatory bail moved? I am an advocate. Are you one?” CM Siddaramaiah told the media.

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