Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on May 4 was informed by officials of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged sex assault involving Prajwal Revanna that there is a possibility of the CBI issuing a "Blue Corner Notice", against the Hasssan MP.
Mr. Siddaramaiah held an "important meeting" with SIT officials, during which he instructed that immediate action be taken to arrest Prajwal Revanna.
"We will proceed for arrest with appropriate measures. There is a possibility of CBI issuing a Blue Corner Notice, which will speed up the investigation," the officials told the Chief Minister, according to a release from his office.
"They (SIT officials) have assured that they will arrest and get the accused back, as soon as they get the information from the airports," it said.
A Blue Corner Notice is issued by Interpol, the international police cooperation body, to collect additional information from its member countries about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a crime.
The SIT is said to have sent a request to the CBI, the nodal body for Interpol matters in India, seeking a Blue Corner Notice against Prajwal Revanna, official sources said.
"Once CBI issues this notice, SIT hopes to get information about the whereabouts of Prajwal Revanna," they said.
The 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna, who is the grandson of former PM H D Deve Gowda, was the BJP-JD(S) alliance's candidate from Hassan, which went to the polls on April 26.
Explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days, following which the state government constituted the SIT to probe the scandal.
Prajwal Revanna is said to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka was held. His advocate had sought for seven days' time for him to appear before the SIT, to which the investigating team has replied it is not possible as there is no such provision.
At the meeting, the Chief Minister was briefed by the SIT officials about the developments so far in the case, his office said in the statement.
The officials explained to Mr. Siddaramaiah that Prajwal Revanna, the main accused in the case, is "missing", and that a lookout notice has been issued against him, and intensive search is also being conducted.
"Immediate action should be taken to arrest Prajwal Revanna. Decisive and strict action should be taken against those involved in the case," the chief minister said as he gave stern instructions to the officials that negligence and delay in this matter will not be tolerated.
