Bengaluru : JD(S) leader H.D. Kumaraswamy has appealed to his nephew and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna – who is facing an SIT probe over the allegation of sexual harassment – to return to Karnataka and join the investigation.

He also accused the Congress-run Karnataka government of “misusing” the issue.

“…I would appeal to him (Prajwal Revanna) to come back to Karnataka and face this investigation… If you have not done anything then why are you afraid, why did you run away? You have to face this situation,” Kumaraswamy told a reporter on Monday.

He also responded to the allegations of “400 rapes” by the Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

“Where is the small piece of document with Rahul Gandhi? His government is running here. Priyanka Gandhi also said in a public meeting that more than 2000 to 3000 incidents took place. That is her charge. They wanted to destroy the strength of the NDA. They are misusing the issue,” the J(DS) leader said.

Earlier on 18 May, JD(S) patron H.D. Deve Gowda said the state should pursue all legal avenues against his grandson Prajwal but his son H.D. Revanna had been framed in the case.

“H.D. Kumaraswamy has already spoken on behalf of our family and party regarding the allegations against Prajwal Revanna and H.D. Revanna. The government must pursue all possible legal avenues against Prajwal Revanna. However, it is evident that the cases against HD Revanna were orchestrated to target him,” Deve Gowda said.

On 6 May, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah urged the Centre to help bring Prajwal Revanna back from abroad. A former partner of the Congress, the JD(S) is now in a pre-poll alliance with the ruling NDA for the ongoing Lok Sabha elections.

Siddaramaiah said: “The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted to probe the allegations of sexual assault against MP Prajwal Revanna will conduct an independent and impartial investigation in which the state government will not interfere… The success of the SIT investigation is now entirely dependent on the cooperation of the central government. The central government should cooperate in bringing the accused Prajwal Revanna, who is said to be abroad, to India.”

H.D. Revanna and his son, Prajwal Revanna, are facing a probe over allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following a complaint by a woman who worked in their household.

Prajwal left for abroad the day videos surfaced allegedly showing him assaulting women.