Prajwal Revanna lands in Bengaluru, arrested by SIT in sexual abuse case

Suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was arrested on Friday by the SIT investigating the case, minutes after he returned to Bengaluru from Germany after midnight.

The 33-year-old MP was arrested by the Special Investigation Team at Kempegowda International Airport after his arrival from Munich and taken to the Crime Branch for questioning.

To ensure that he was safely transported for examination, a large number of police officers were deployed at the airport.

The MP, who was wearing a hoodie, returned to Bengaluru a month after the scandal broke out, but was taken into custody by Central Industrial Security Forces investigators and later handed over to the SIT.

There was an arrest warrant against him. After completing the formalities, the SIT took him into custody, it was said.

According to authorities, police escorted him through a different exit out of consideration for his safety.

Exactly one month after leaving the country, Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexually abusing several women, released a video on May 27 announcing that he would appear before the SIT on May 31.

Prajwal, 33, grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and candidate of the BJP-JD(S) alliance for Hassan Lok Sabha, is accused of sexually abusing numerous women. He has so far been booked in three cases of sexual assault.

He had left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to vote. Interpol had previously issued a “Blue Corner Notice” seeking information on his whereabouts after the SIT made a request through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A special court for elected representatives issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal Revanna on May 18 following a request from the SIT. The Congress-led Karnataka government asked the central government to cancel his diplomatic passport.

The Ministry of External Affairs has served a notice to Prajwal asking him why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled, as demanded by the Karnataka government, in view of the allegations of sexual abuse against him.

The MP described the allegations against him as false and accused him of a political conspiracy. In a video message published earlier this week, he said he had fallen into depression.

He had also filed an interim bail application before the Principal City and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives on May 29. The court issued a notice to the SIT to file an objection before scheduling the hearing on Friday.

The scandal triggered a political storm that led to a slugfest between the ruling Congress party and the BJP-JD(S).

While the Congress government has set up an SIT to investigate the cases, BJP and JD(S) – partners of the NDA – are demanding that the cases be handed over to the CBI and action be taken against those responsible for the widespread distribution of the explicit videos.

The sexual abuse cases came to light after several USB sticks allegedly containing explicit videos of Prajwal were circulated in Hassan ahead of the April 26 Lok Sabha elections.

Deve Gowda had recently issued a “stern warning” to Prajwal Revanna, asking him to return to the country and face the investigation into the sexual abuse allegations, while assuring that neither he nor other family members would interfere in the investigation.

The JD(S) leader had reiterated that if convicted, his grandson should receive the harshest punishment provided for by the law.

Prajwal’s uncle and former Prime Minister HD Kumaraswamy had also repeatedly urged his nephew to return to the country from abroad and face the investigation.

Due to these allegations, the JD(S) suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party.