External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that the ministry received a request on May 21 to impound the passport of Janata Dal Secular MP Prajwal Revanna, who fled to Germany last month following allegations of sexual assault.

Revanna is facing a probe by a Special Investigative Team (SIT) constituted by the Karnataka government over allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a complaint by a woman who worked in his household.

Jaishankar told ANI, “To impound a passport is governed by an act called the Passport Act. We need a judicial court or a police request to do so. The MEA got this request from Karnataka only on May 21.”

“We immediately acted on it. On 23rd of May… we have to follow a certain procedure and the procedure is initiated,” he added.

Asked about the Congress government’s accusations against the BJP of shielding Revanna, Jaishankar said, “They did not take the first step… I mean, he’s not the first case where impounding a passport is taking place.”

Meanwhile, JDS supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda issued a stern warning to his grandson Revanna to return to India and face the law in the obscene video case.

In a letter posted on X, the former PM says he is not aware of where his grandson is but has warned him to return home and face the law.

“I have already said that he should be given the harshest punishment under the law if found guilty. I also cannot convince people that I was unaware of Prajwal’s activities. I cannot convince them that I have no desire to shield him. I cannot convince them that I am not aware of his movements and that I was not aware of his foreign trip. I believe in answering my conscience. I believe in God, and I know the almighty knows the truth,” the former PM wrote.

Earlier, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to cancel the Diplomatic Passport of JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna. Siddaramaiah in his letter to the Prime Minister said that it is shameful that Prajwal Revanna fled the country on April 27, 2024, to Germany using his diplomatic passport shortly after news of his heinous actions emerged and just a few hours before the first FIR was filed against him.