A large number of JD(S) workers led by party core committee chief GT Deve Gowda gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Bannur Road in the city on Wednesday to oppose the probe into the allegations of sexual harassment against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) outfit formed by the Congress government in the state.

Mr Gowda alleged that the SIT investigation had taken a “wrong direction” and demanded a CBI probe to unravel all the facts related to the episode, including the crime of publicly releasing the explicit videos and tarnishing reputation of women.

The JD(S) workers started gathering in front of the Karnataka Milk Federation (KMF) Dairy in Siddarthanagar, wearing black belts, to protest against the ‘conspiracy’ against the JD(S) leadership allegedly hatched by the Congress leaders, including Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar. The protesters, who opposed the ongoing SIT probe, shouted slogans against the Congress government and marched to the Deputy Commissioner’s office, where they staged a demonstration.

Former minister and JD(S) working president SR Mahesh, Hunsur MLA Harish Gowda, former MLAs Ashwin Kumar and K. Mahadev and a large number of party leaders in Mysuru participated in the rally.

Speaking to reporters, Mr Gowda said the JD(S) had initially welcomed the SIT probe, hoping that the truth about the allegations would come to light as they anticipated justice for the women victims.

However, their hopes were dashed as the SIT is not investigating the persons responsible for releasing the explicit videos and defiling the female victims. Since the SIT probe is on the “wrong track” and is functioning as a “puppet” of the Congress government, the JD(S) is seeking a CBI probe.

Mr. Gowda, who had sought a judicial inquiry on Tuesday, said the party would move the Supreme Court or the High Court seeking a CBI inquiry into the case if the state government does not hand over the probe to the CBI.

International connections

Mr. Gowda alleged that those behind the release of the explicit videos had purchased a large quantity of pen drives by paying ₹3 crore to a Chennai-based company. The explicit videos were loaded into pen drives abroad before being brought back to India and distributed, he alleged.

The SIT, set up by the state government, has no jurisdiction to take its investigation to Chennai or abroad. Therefore, a CBI investigation is needed to uncover the international links in this case.