K’taka sex scandal: Shivakumar behind pen drive release, claims BJP leader
Bengaluru: Karnataka BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda on Monday claimed that Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar is behind the release of the pen drive containing videos of sexual assault allegedly by former PM H.D. Deve Gowda’s grandson and NDA candidate Prajwal Revanna.
“The main target of Congress is Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They have finished off JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna. They now want to cause a setback to the BJP in the state. H.D. Kumaraswamy is also their target. They also tried to make me an accused,” Devaraje Gowda said while addressing a press conference.
“I do not trust the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the sex scandal. I would submit all evidence to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The videos which are with me are different from those which have been released,” he said.
Gowda claimed that he was approached by Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar and he has audio recordings to prove it.
“The hero of the pen drive episode is Shivakumar. He offered me a cabinet berth. I have the information on how the pen drive was prepared and the role of Congress candidate Hassan Shreyas Patel in it,” he claimed.
He alleged that the SIT is working for the state government. “SIT SP Suman D Pannekar forced me to withdraw the statement against the Deputy Chief Minister. That is why I don’t trust the SIT,” he said.
He alleged that the former minister L.R. Shivarame Gowda had called him and forced him not to take the names of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar.
“Shivarame Gowda has become a mediator for Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar,” he alleged.
He said that despite giving the names, locations, and phone numbers of those who distributed pen drives, they have not been arrested.
“Now, they are planning to put all the blame on me. They tried to make a deal with me. They offered the cabinet berth for not talking against the government, Chief Minister, and Deputy Chief Minister. However, I rejected their offer,” he claimed.
He said that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister Shivakumar held a meeting of SIT officials and discussed on who all should be arrested in the case.
“I have waged a war against the leaders of Hassan and I have won it. But, my struggle has been misused,” he stated referring to the arrest of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda’s son H.D. Revanna’s arrest.
Talking about Karthik, the former driver of Prajwal Revanna, who is alleged to have handed the sex video clips involving Prajwal Revanna to him, Devaraje Gowda said that as an advocate he is allowed to meet him.
Devaraje Gowda strongly objected to giving the Hassan Lok Sabha seat to the JD-S party. He strongly demanded that the BJP should field its candidate.
JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna has been arrested by the SIT in connection with the kidnap case of one of the victims of alleged sex videos while his son Prajwal Revanna is absconding. The development had taken the state by storm. Devaraje Gowda had contested against H.D. Revanna in the assembly election.
