Two held for distributing videos of MP Prajwal Revanna's alleged sexual abuse
Bengaluru, May 28: The Special Investigation Team probing charges of sexual abuse against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, on Tuesday arrested two people who had allegedly distributed pen drives containing explicit videos of the said abuse of several women allegedly perpetrated by the JD(S) leader.
According to police sources, the two persons were arrested when they came to the high court. The SIT sleuths picked them up and took them for interrogation.
They had allegedly distributed pen drives containing videos showing women being sexually assaulted allegedly by Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda.
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The videos had been making the rounds of social media, and the state government formed a SIT on April 28 to probe the case after the Karnataka State Commission for Women wrote a letter to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a probe into the charges.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, who is the NDA candidate in the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, reportedly left the country on April 27, a day after polling, and has skipped the SIT summons to appear before it.
Interpol has issued a Blue Corner notice and a court has served an arrest warrant against the "absconding" MP.
A video surfaced on Monday where Prajwal said he would appear before the SIT on May 31.
Reacting to it, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra said he welcomes Prajwal’s decision to return to India and cooperate with the investigation.
“All I want to say is, without discussing much about right or wrong...you are a public representative, you must face it (probe) boldly. Several doubts have emerged in the last one-and-a-half years. Prajwal has to put an end to it and has to join the investigation. He has also agreed to appear before the Special Investigation Team. I welcome it,” Vijayendra said.
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Pakistan Stock Exchange plunges by over 6 pc over rumours of Indian strike near Karachi
Karachi, May 8 (PTI): The Pakistan Stock Exchange plunged by over 6 per cent on Thursday with trading halted for an hour after rumours of escalation in military action by India near Karachi.
Although the rumours were unfounded, the benchmark KSE100 index tumbled 6,948.73 points, or 6.32 per cent, to 1,03,060.30, before the trading was halted.
Trading resumed with Fatima Bucha of AKD Securities confirming the situation on the floor had calmed down a bit.
“But the situation could get worse as investors are panicking due to the geopolitical situation,” she said. “No one is sure what is going to happen and how and if Pakistan will respond to India's aggression.”
The downward trajectory of the index was largely driven by negative contributions from key stocks such as cement, energy, bank, and technology, which collectively dragged the index down.
Meanwhile the government has taken measures to keep its foreign exchange reserves stabilised.
It has imposed a 60-day ban on importing and exporting precious metals, jewellery, and gemstones from Thursday.
The temporary ban was imposed by a Commerce Ministry Order suspending SRO760 of 2013, which governs the trade of precious metals.
The restriction is linked to the recent impasse with India as a potential strategy to limit the flow of metals.
The State Bank of Pakistan has also informally advised all currency dealers in both inter-bank and open markets to closely monitor dollar outflows, as the escalating conflict could rapidly increase demand for the greenback.
Zaffar Paracha, general secretary of the Exchange Companies Association of Pakistan said if the currency market faced any shortage it could be managed but if there was a prolonged conflict it could damage both countries.
“For now we have not seen any panic buying of dollars, nor had demand escalated,” Paracha said.
According to a currency dealer, over 90 per cent of remittances to Pakistan come through Indian exchange companies, particularly from the West Asia — a channel that may face disruptions if the conflict between the two countries prolongs. “…In the case of a full-fledged war, these companies could be used by India as a tool to pressure Pakistan.”
Currency dealers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Indian exchange companies are the main handlers of remittances to Pakistan.
