Hassan videos case: H D Kumaraswamy demands dismissal of D K Shivakumar

Bengaluru: JD(S) state president H D Kumaraswamy on Tuesday demanded Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar’s dismissal from the Cabinet by calling him a “key conspirator” in the circulation of sex videos allegedly linked to Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.

“If you have any morality, then drop Shivakumar,” Kumaraswamy dared Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

“If you look at the history of Shivakumar, you will get to know about his activities. What kind of fair investigation can you do by keeping such a person in the government?” Kumaraswamy said at a news conference, a day after BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda, a whistleblower in the Prajwal case, claimed Shivakumar masterminded the circulation of sleaze videos. 

Kumaraswamy claimed that Shivakumar was behind BJP leader Ramesh Jarkiholi’s sleaze video case. “There is one phone conversation in which Shivakumar claimed that he had spent Rs 30 crore in Sahukar case.”

Kumaraswamy also raised fundamental questions on the functioning of the special investigation team (SIT) that is probing Prajwal’s alleged serial sexual abuse. The SIT, Kumaraswamy said, is working on the instructions of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Shivakumar. “There is one Siddaramaiah Investigation Team and a Shivakumar Investigation Team,” he said, demanding a CBI probe instead. 

The former CM asked why the SIT had not apprehended one Naveen Gowda who, on April 21, announced the release of sleaze videos on social media platforms. Kumaraswamy even released a phone conversation of Naveen Gowda with his friend.

“Prajwal Revanna’s polling agent had filed a complaint against five people, including Naveen Gowda. No action was taken. If this Naveen was held then, he would have spilled the beans,” he said.

Kumaraswamy also pointed out that a former Hassan zilla panchayat member, who has accused Prajwal of raping her, was seen campaigning with him on April 22. “She said she was raped at gun point. Then, how was she with Prajwal campaigning in Belur? Her photos were circulated on April 21, a day before,” he said. Pertaining to another case in which the victim was allegedly kidnapped, Kumaraswamy asked why she was not produced before a magistrate.  

‘Won’t protect Prajwal’

Kumaraswamy maintained that he and his party will not protect Prajwal. “Are the videos real or fake? Let it be proven during investigation. I won’t protect Prajwal. But I demand a transparent inquiry,” he said. 

Kumaraswamy also revealed that he did not want Prajwal to contest the Lok Sabha polls. “Our party workers had complained that he doesn’t treat them with respect,” he said. “If I had known about the pen drive, I would not have given him the ticket,” he said.

If you look the history of Shivakumar you will get to know about his activities. What kind of fair investigation can you do by keeping such a person in the government?

H D Kumaraswamy