Prajwal will be arrested at Airport upon his return: Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Wednesday said suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, will be arrested as soon as he arrives at the airport here.
The statement comes two days after Prajwal released a video statement promising that he would appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing the cases against him, on May 31.
According to official sources, the Hassan MP has booked a return flight ticket to Bengaluru from Munich on May 30, and is expected to land in the city in the small hours of May 31.
Addressing reporters here, Parameshwara said, "All necessary measures have to be taken, as a warrant has been issued against him (Prajwal). He has to be arrested. SIT is waiting, they will arrest him and will take his statement, and their (SIT) process will start."
Asked if Prajwal would be arrested at the airport on landing, he said, "it (arrest) has to be done there (at airport), as a warrant has been issued. So he will have to be arrested."
Prajwal (33), the grandson of JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda and the NDA candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of sexually abusing women.
He reportedly left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls, and is still at large. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on May 18 against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the SIT.
To a question on the arrest of two persons by SIT in connection with the pen drive circulation case, the Home Minister said more than the question of Congress, BJP and JD(S), whoever is involved in this case, will be arrested.
"Already 11-12 people have been arrested, whoever they (SIT) feel are involved in the case, during the investigation, they will arrest them and inquire them," he added.
The cases of sexual abuse came to light after several pen drives allegedly containing explicit videos involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.
To a query regarding the case in which money to the tune of crores was embezzled at a state-run corporation under Scheduled Tribes Welfare department, and an official committed suicide in connection with the case, the Home Minister said CID probe is on.
"The department has lodged a complaint. Rs 187 crore (misappropriated), out of that Rs 94 crore or so has been transferred (without authorisation). Each one gives a different figure. Someone mentioned Rs 84 crore, while others said Rs 97 crore. It will be known from the investigation. Truth will come out," he said.
Reacting to reports that money was transferred to accounts of various IT companies, he said, "It is said that prima facie the money has gone to eight to ten accounts. It will be known from the investigation."
On BJP demanding the resignation of Scheduled Tribes Welfare Minister B Nagendra, Parameshwara said, "they (BJP) will keep asking for resignation for every incident. Let the investigation happen. It is alleged (in the death note of the officer) that the Minister gave oral orders on transferring the funds, truth will be known from the probe."
When pointed out that Congress while in opposition had sought then Minister K S Eshwarappa's resignation following the suicide of a contractor naming him, he said, "in that case the Minister Eshwarappa was named, that's not the case here. We will have to wait for the probe."
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.
Two arrested in K'taka for assaulting minors, uploading CSAM content
Bengaluru (PTI): Two men were arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting two minor girls, recording the acts on mobile phones and uploading the videos online as child sexual abuse material, police said on Thursday.
The accused have been identified as Kiran Kumar (29), hailing from Chitradurga district, and Aditya M K (20), hailing from Shivamogga district, they said.
A probe was initiated after information was received from the NCRP portal regarding a suspected instance of creation of Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) for online dissemination, police said.
Accordingly, a case was registered at Kaggalipura Police Station under relevant sections of the IT Act on May 10, they added.
Investigation revealed that two minor girl victims were exploited and videos were created and uploaded to the internet. The child victims have subsequently recorded their statements as per procedure and further necessary legal steps have been taken, Pronab Mohanty Director General of Police, Cyber Command, said in a statement.
Based on the statements of the victims, the accused persons, who allegedly assaulted the minors, recorded the acts on mobile phones and uploaded the videos online, were arrested, he said.
Following the probe, sections 65(2) (rape) and 70 (gangrape) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, along with relevant sections of the POCSO Act, have been added to the FIR, police said.
Officials collected relevant information and on May 12, arrested the accused persons and seized three mobile phones belonging to them, in which the videos had allegedly been recorded, he said.
The accused were later produced before the court and taken into police custody for further investigation, he added.
According to him, in CSAM cases, police usually apprehend offenders who have downloaded such content or have kept them in their possession after obtaining them from elsewhere, usually the internet.
"The present case is one of the very few instances where content creators and uploaders have been apprehended," Mohanty added.
