Karnataka BJP leader Devaraje Gowda arrested for sexual harassment

Police said they arrested Gowda near Hiriyur in Chitradurga district on Friday evening.

They added that with the help of Chitradurga police, they managed to arrest Gowda, who was on the run since Thursday.

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When BJP leader Devaraje Gowda from Holenarsipura in Karnataka made headlines late last month, he seemed like an upstanding person trying to do the right thing.

After all, Gowda – the BJP candidate from Holenarsipura in the 2023 Karnataka assembly elections – said then that he had written to the party leadership that he had received a USB drive.

He claimed that he had informed them about the around 3,000 videos in which women, including government officials, were seen performing sexual acts with JD(S) leader and NDA’s Hassan Lok Sabha constituency candidate Prajwal Revanna, but no head of state paid heed to them .

Then on Thursday, May 9, it emerged that he had been charged with sexual abuse as well as under the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act after a couple lodged complaints.

A day later, Gowda’s alleged audio and video call with a woman, during which he reportedly exposed his private parts, came to an even more startling revelation.

After Prajwal’s videos were leaked, Devaraje Gowda also claimed that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar – who is also the chairman of the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee – was the mastermind behind the viral videos.

He also demanded that the state government hand over the investigation into the sexual abuse case of Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna to the CBI.

In the 2023 Karnataka Assembly elections, Devaraje Gowda settled for third place in Holenarsipura seat. JD(S) leader and Prajwal’s father HD Revanna won from the seat.

Audio and video calls have been leaked

Gowda was accused of sexual harassment and under the Atrocities Act by a couple who lodged a complaint at the Holenarsipura city police station in March and April.

The woman claimed that she recorded all the video and audio calls Devaraje Gowda had with her in which he reportedly misbehaved with her.

She added that she would provide the evidence to investigators at any time upon request.

It now appears that his private video and audio calls were circulating on social networking platforms on Friday evening.

A Kannada news channel claimed this. It added that the BJP leader was heard in one of the alleged audio calls asking the woman to expose herself.

In a video call, Devaraje Gowda appeared to be flaunting the woman. The video call is said to have been more than 10 seconds long.

Hassan SP gives assurances

In connection with two FIRs lodged against Devaraje Gowda, Hassan Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammed Sujeetha said that investigations are underway.

However, the police have not been able to arrest Gowda even 40 days after the FIRs were lodged. The arrest only took place on Friday.

Sujeetha told South first: “We had served a notice on him and asked him to appear for questioning. We are in the process of investigating this case.”

Police sources said Devaraje Gowda has been served notice. He appeared for questioning. The allegations appeared to be unfounded as the complainants did not cooperate with the investigating officers in providing evidence.”

They added: “The investigating officers asked the complainant to produce the evidence several times, but she refused to produce it, citing trivial reasons.”

They also said, “Gowda’s audio and video calls came to our attention only after they were aired on news channels. He had been in hiding since Thursday.”

This article was originally published by South first.