Bengaluru, May 17: BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda, who is in custody after being arrested in a sexual abuse case, on Friday charged that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar and four other ministers were behind the circulation of pen drives allegedly containing explicit videos of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.

He has even alleged that he was offered Rs 100 crore by Shivakumar to "bring a bad name" to BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to tarnish the image of JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy in Prajwal Revanna obscene video case.

"D K Shivakumar is behind the pen drive case, a team of four Ministers N Chaluvarayaswamy, Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge and another minister was formed to handle this. It was done to bring a bad name to the BJP, PM Modi and Kumaraswamy. I was offered Rs 100 crore," Gowda claimed.

ALSO READ: Court extends interim anticipatory bail granted to HD Revanna till May 20

Speaking to reporters while being taken to the district prison in Hassan, after the police custody ended, he said, "Shivakumar told me 'you say Kumaraswamy is behind the distribution of pen drives. You won't be in problem, I will secure you...it was done to destroy Kumaraswamy's leadership in the state. As I did not agree, I'm being fixed in cases."

"They tried to fix me in a sexual harassment and rape case against me, but found no evidence. Now, they are trying to fix me in the pen drive case," he alleged, and said former MLC M A Gopalaswamy of Channarayapatna was sent for negotiations.

The 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The issue as raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.

An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against Prajwal in an effort to bring him back.

He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase on April 26.

While the Congress government has formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) -- NDA partners -- have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI, and action be taken against those behind the wide circulation of explicit videos.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.



Sivasagar/Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday slammed the Congress for “not verifying” the documents based on which it brought allegations against him and his family.

Congress leader Pawan Khera had on Sunday alleged that Sarma’s wife, Riniki Bhuyan Sarma, has multiple passports and foreign property, which were not declared in the chief minister’s election affidavit.

Sarma also hit out at Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, claiming that he was “speaking like a madman” due to old age, after the latter put the onus on central agencies to probe the charges.

The CM asserted that Khera had “run away” to Hyderabad, but the Assam Police will “hunt him down even from ‘pataal’ (netherworld)”.

“‘Assam Police ko nahi jante hain.. Pataal se bhi ukhar ke le ayega’ (They don’t know the Assam Police... they will hunt him down even from the netherworld),” asserted Sarma.

An Assam Police team had earlier in the day visited the Delhi residence of Khera for questioning him in connection with the case.

“If they didn’t know the truth, why did they put it out in public? They should have asked the foreign minister first,” Sarma told reporters on the sidelines of an election campaign, when asked for his reaction to Kharge’s assertion that the Union government should probe the allegations now.

Kharge, at a presser in Guwahati on Tuesday, said all agencies are under the central government, which should probe the charges.

"They have already filed an FIR against Khera. Let them probe the matter. We will face the case as it progresses. We have sought probes by the ED or CBI into the allegations," he said.

Sarma added: “Kharge is ageing and is speaking like a ‘pagal’ (madman). You insult the people first and then say will ask the foreign minister (for verification)? Is he your ‘damad’ (son-in-law),” the chief minister said.

“I think Rahul Gandhi had given these documents to Khera, and if that is so, the case will then include Gandhi,” he added.