Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna arrives arrested in Bengaluru | Latest News from India

Prajwal Revanna, leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), who is accused of sexually abusing numerous women, was brought back to India from Berlin at around 1:15 am on Thursday night, almost a month after he left the country on a diplomatic passport. He was immediately taken into custody.

The MP from Hassan fled the country after the conclusion of the second phase of the Lok Saba elections, in which his constituency also participated. Ahead of Prajwal’s arrival, who was seen wearing a hoodie, security was tightened at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru and the CID office in the city.

Officials said police directed him through a different exit for his safety.

The SIT reportedly seized two suitcases at Bengaluru airport.

Prajwal, JD(S) MP for Hassan constituency in Karnataka, is the grandson of JD(S) leader and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda. He is the NDA candidate from Hassan in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After videos emerged showing Prajwal sexually assaulting several women, the Karnataka State Commission for Women asked Chief Minister Siddaramaiah for an inquiry and Prajwal left the country on April 27. The first FIR was filed against him on April 28 after a woman who worked in his household filed a complaint of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation against him.

Interpol had issued a Blue Corner Notice to trace his whereabouts following a request from the SIT through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). On May 18, a special court for elected representatives had issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal Revanna on the request of the SIT.

Earlier on Thursday, thousands of people had joined the ‘Hassan Chalo’ protest organised by the Union of Karnataka People’s Movement in Hassan district demanding Prajwal’s arrest. The protesters demanded that the suspended JD(S) MP be arrested on his arrival at the airport.

About 10,000 representatives of 113 organisations from across Karnataka took part in the protest. The march started from the Hemavati statue in Hassan and ended with a public gathering near the District Collector’s office on New Bus Stand Road.

The Karnataka government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on April 27 to look into allegations against Prajwal after nearly 3,000 explicit videos surfaced on social media in which he was allegedly involved. Despite the allegations, Prajwal strongly denied them and claimed that the videos were fake. The SIT was set up on the recommendation of the State Commission for Women.

Furthermore, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday said that steps were being taken to cancel the diplomatic passport of suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal. He had also received a request for comment on May 23 to which he had to respond, Jaiswal added.

He further stated that the ministry is acting under the Passport Act, 1967 to revoke Prajwal’s diplomatic passport. “The MEA has initiated action under the provisions of the Passport Act, 1967 to revoke the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna. A notice of reply was served on the passport holder on May 23, giving him 10 working days to respond to our notice. We are awaiting his reply and will accordingly take up the matter once we hear from him or the 10-day period expires.”

After a long delay in returning to India, Prajwal released a homemade video on Monday announcing that he would appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for questioning on May 31. He explained that his trip was planned in advance as there were no charges against him in the Karnataka assembly elections on April 26. He also claimed that he had become a victim of a political conspiracy due to his growing influence in politics. Officials believe he is still in Germany, but his exact whereabouts are unknown.

The SIT has filed charges against five people, including Prajwal’s father HD Revanna.

Prajwal’s mother Bhavani Revanna filed an interim bail application on May 29, which the Karnataka High Court reserved until May 31 in the kidnapping case in which HD Revanna was earlier arrested.