BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda, who has been arrested in connection with a sexual abuse case, claimed that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar and four other ministers were responsible for circulating the explicit videos of Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.
Gowda was speaking to reporters while being taken to the district prison in Hassan district of Karnataka after his police custody ended.
He alleged that Shivakumar offered him Rs 100 crore to "bring a bad name" to BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and to tarnish the image of JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.
He also named four other state ministers who he claimed circulated pen drives containing the clips of Prajwal Revanna. "D.K. Shivakumar is behind the pen drive case, a team of four ministers N. Chaluvarayaswamy, Krishna Byre Gowda, Priyank Kharge and another minister was formed to handle this. It was done to bring a bad name to the BJP, PM Modi and Kumaraswamy. I was offered Rs 100 crore."
"Shivakumar told me 'you say Kumaraswamy is behind the distribution of pen drives. You won't be in problem, I will secure you...it was done to destroy Kumaraswamy's leadership in the state. As I did not agree, I am being fixed in cases," he claimed.
He charged that the Congress leaders tried to "fix him" in a sexual harassment and rape case, but failed as there was no evidence. "Now, they are trying to fix me in the pen drive case."
Prajwal Revanna is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. He was BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase on April 26.
Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said efforts are on to bring Prajwal Revanna back to India. Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large.
"Procedures are on, until we secure him, bring him back here and take action in accordance with law, they will continue. We will neither slow it nor stop it," Parameshwara said.
With agency inputs