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MEA emails Prajwal Revanna; Asks why diplomatic passport should not be canceled

MEA emails Prajwal Revanna;  Asks why diplomatic passport should not be canceled

New Delhi:Amid a growing chorus for the arrest of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna on sexual assault charges, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has reportedly served a show cause notice on him, asking him to explain why his diplomatic passport should not be canceled following the sexual abuse cases filed against him in Karnataka.

The notice of appearance was served to Prajwal Revanna by email, as he is said to have escaped arrest and is suspected of hiding in Germany. The MEA’s action comes a day after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah sought cancellation of Prajwal’s diplomatic passport for the second time, while the latter’s grandfather and former Prime Minister Deve Gowda had also warned and asked his grandson to return to India and face legal proceedings here.

Official sources said on Thursday that the MEA was processing the Karnataka government’s request to cancel Prajwal’s diplomatic passport. He is currently in Germany. The show cause notice was served to Prajwal as part of the process initiated to cancel his passport, the people cited above said. It is learned that the show cause notice was served via email.

Prajwal, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, is at the center of a massive sexual abuse case and MP Hassan left India on April 27, a day after voting in the Lok elections Sabha in his constituency. It is learned that the MEA is undertaking the process of canceling Prajwal’s diplomatic passport under the provisions of the Passport Act, 1967 as well as related regulations.

If the passport is cancelled, Prajwal’s stay abroad will be illegal and he may face legal action from the relevant authorities of the country he is staying in, a person familiar with the matter said. On Wednesday, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote a second letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to take “prompt and necessary” steps to cancel Prajwal’s diplomatic passport.

The chief minister sent a similar letter to the Prime Minister on May 1. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Karnataka government to probe the sexual abuse allegations against Prajwal has written to the MEA to cancel his diplomatic passport after a warrant was issued. stop. against him by a local court.

A “Blue Corner Notice” requesting information on Revanna’s whereabouts has already been issued by Interpol following a request from the SIT. Earlier this month, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Prajwal had traveled to Germany on a diplomatic passport and had not sought political permission for the trip. “No political permission was sought or issued by the MEA regarding the travel of the said MP to Germany,” Jaiswal had said. (with contributions from the agency)

Learn more

1.CM Siddaramaiah to PM Modi: Cancel MP Hassan Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport