Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna arrested on arrival in a sexual abuse case. What happens next? – Firstpost

Karnataka state MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually harassing several women, was arrested after he returned from Munich and landed at Bengaluru airport in the early hours of Friday.

The now-suspended Janata Dal (Secular Party) leader, who is contesting from Hassan seat in the Lok Sabha, had left for Germany on April 27, a day after the polls in his constituency ended.

The 33-year-old MP is under investigation by the British Home Office for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation following complaints from his household staff. He also faces two other sexual harassment charges related to obscene videos posted online that allegedly show the MP harassing women on camera.

Let’s take a closer look.

The arrest

Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and nephew of former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, was on board Lufthansa flight LH0764, which landed at Kempegowda International Airport at around 00:49. Indian Express.

The immigration authorities handed over the suspended JD(S) MP to police officers waiting at the airport.

He was then taken to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) office, where he spent the night in the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the case.

Upon his arrival in India, the SIT team confiscated two of his checked bags, The Times of India.

Security measures have been tightened outside the CID office in the city and barricades have been erected outside the office.

According to NDTV According to sources, Revanna had already cancelled his flights home twice before.

What’s next

Revanna is expected to be brought out soon for medical examination after which he will be produced before the judge of the Special Court of People’s Representatives, according to TOI.

Accordingly TOIRevanna was also questioned by the SIT on Friday. The team has also served summons to his mother, Bhavani Revanna, to appear at her home on June 1 for questioning.

The defendant’s application for provisional release, which has now been converted into an application for regular bail, is also to be heard today.

The verdict on his mother Bhavani’s plea for interim bail in the kidnapping case in which her husband HD Revanna was arrested earlier is also expected to be read out today.

The Deccan Herald reports that the SIT is seeking 14 days of police custody, although the court normally orders only seven to ten days.

Alternatively, the court may remand the defendant in custody to present further arguments.

The Indian Express Sources claim that while the statements of the three victims in the three rape FIRs against Revanna serve as primary evidence, the SIT has also collected secondary evidence by confirming the locations where the allegedly recorded assault took place and by analysing the sounds and physical features of the people in the video to substantiate its allegations against the JD(S) MP.

Technical information such as the locations of the cell towers of the accused and victims was also used by the SIT. In addition, more than a dozen witnesses have given statements, according to the report.

Diplomatic passport to be withdrawn

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar said the Ministry of External Affairs had initiated action under the provisions of the Passport Act, 1967 to cancel Revanna’s diplomatic passport.

“On May 23, a notice of reply was served on the passport holder, giving him 10 working days to respond to our notice. We are awaiting his response and will accordingly take the matter forward once we hear from him or the 10-day period expires,” the MEA said in a statement.

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting that Revanna’s diplomatic passport be cancelled, as in another NDTV Report.

A similar request was made to the MEA by the investigating police team.

The case

Revanna is under investigation by the British investigative court SIT on allegations of sexual harassment and intimidation by three women.

After the elections in Hassan constituency in Karnataka state ended on April 26, obscene videos of Prajwal Revanna featuring women were circulated in his constituency.

According to the Hindustan NewspaperPoornachandra Tejaswi MG, the JD (S) and the BJP poll worker filed an FIR, accusing Naveen Gowda and others of circulating the videos to tarnish Revanna’s reputation.

On April 27, shortly after the elections were concluded, the 33-year-old MP fled the country and reportedly traveled to Germany.

On the same day, CM Siddaramaiah ordered an SIT investigation into the case, while the chairperson of the National Commission for Women (NCW) wrote a letter to the government on the issue.

On April 28, the first complaint against Revanna was filed by a 47-year-old former domestic worker for allegedly sexually harassing her on multiple occasions between 2019 and 2022. “When HD Revanna’s wife was not there, he would call the women to the pantry and touch them while giving them fruits. He would remove sarina needles and sexually abuse women,” she said in a complaint.

On April 30, the JD(S) temporarily suspended Revanna from the party and welcomed the SIT’s investigation into the case.

The second case was registered by Bengaluru police on May 1. The complaint was filed against a 44-year-old woman, possibly working for the JD(S), who accused Prajwal Revanna of raping her multiple times, including at least once at gunpoint. NDTV.

On May 1, Prajwal made his first comment on the allegations through his lawyers and asked for some time to participate in the SIT investigation. He told X: “The truth will soon come out.”

The third complaint was filed on May 3, when a 60-year-old woman accused Prajwal Revanna of rape.

On May 4, his father HD Revanna was arrested in connection with a kidnapping case linked to allegations of sexual abuse of his son. He was later released on bail.

A Blue Corner Notice was issued to trace Revanna as he had evaded the SIT investigation despite repeated notices.

The arrest warrant against Revanna – on the basis of which he was now arrested – was issued on May 18.

On May 23, former Prime Minister and grandfather of the accused, HD Deve Gowda, issued a stern warning to his grandson and summoned him to appear before the SIT, asking him to face the law or face serious consequences if he refuses to return.

On May 27, according to NDTVRevanna released a video statement to X, saying, “I apologize to my parents… I was depressed (due to attacks by political rivals on the sexual assault charge). I will appear (before the police team) on May 31. I will cooperate to the best of my ability… I have God’s blessings…”

Revanna denies all allegations against him and claims that his political rivals have hatched a conspiracy.

With contributions from agencies

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