Amid the row over the obscene video scandal involving former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s grandson Prajwal Revanna and reports of the suspended JD(S) leader’s travel to Germany, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has said no political clearance was sought or issued for his travel.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also said no visa is required for diplomatic passport holders to travel to Germany.
Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is accused of sexual harassment of several women and is believed to be in Germany. The Janata Dal (Secular) has already suspended the Hassan MP.
“No Political Clearance was either sought from or issued by MEA in respect of the travel of the said MP to Germany,” Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing while replying to a volley of questions on the MP’s reported travel to Germany.
“Obviously, no visa note was issued either. No visa is required for diplomatic passport holders to travel to Germany. The Ministry has not issued visa note for any other country,” the MEA spokesperson said.
Asked about whether the MEA may consider revocation of his passport in view of the allegations of sexual harassment against him, Jaiswal did not give a direct reply. “As regards the possible revocation of the passport of any individual, I would refer you to the relevant provisions of the Passport Act 1967. We are not in receipt of any directions from any court in this regard,” he said.
The government of Karnataka has set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations against Revanna.
Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking him to take necessary steps through the Ministry of External Affairs so that tainted BJP leader and sitting Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna can return to India to join the probe into the allegations of sex videos.
Siddaramaiah, in his letter, wrote that Prajwal fled the country sensing the impending arrest, and travelled abroad on a diplomatic passport. “While the SIT is working round the clock to investigate the allegations of crimes against several women by Prajwal Revanna, getting him back to the country is of utmost importance so that he faces investigation and trial as per the law of the land,” Karnataka chief minister wrote.
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