GUWAHATI: Following the Karnataka government's decision to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate allegations against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna in a sex scandal involving multiple women, a woman reportedly lodged a complaint with the police naming his father, HD Revanna, as an accused as well.
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Prajwal, who is the candidate for Hassan, is reported to have left the country for Germany amidst the controversy.
The woman complainant informed the police in Holenarasipura that she decided to come forward and name Revanna and Prajwal after witnessing online testimonials from other victims recounting their experiences.
She claimed that the incidents of abuse occurred between 2019 and 2022, as per reports.
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Her complaint, along with others, has led to the filing of an FIR against Prajwal, which will be investigated by the SIT chaired by Additional Director General of Police Bijay Kumar Singh.
The team includes IPS officers Suman D. Pennekar and Seema Latkar.
As the situation stirred a political uproar during the Lok Sabha elections in the state, HD Kumaraswamy, the brother of Revanna and former Chief Minister, distanced the party from the matter.
HD Revanna is the son of the ex-Indian Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and Prajwal Revanna is Deve Gowda’s grandson.
“Deve Gowda and I have never disrespected any woman. The state government has ordered a SIT investigation, so let the report come out. We will not shield anyone. Let the truth come out,” said CM Kumaraswamy.
Earlier, talking to the media Kumaraswamy admitted that the BJP at the Centre had alerted them about the video clips. “BJP leaders told us that there were issues in the Hassan Lok Sabha segment and advised (us) not to field Prajwal Revanna. But Deve Gowda promised them a victory there,” he said.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced his government’s decision to form an SIT following a letter from the State Commission for Women which stated that “influential politicians sought sexual favours” from women besides “raping some of them”, as per reports.
Sex video clips, allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, surfaced on social media three days before Hassan voted on April 26 in Phase 2 of the elections.
Speaking to the media, one of the alleged victims accused Prajwal of sexual abuse and recording the entire episode. “I have come out now after getting to know hundreds of women were exploited,” she said.
Asked why she did not complain earlier, she said, “It is hard to live in Hassan and take on the family.”
Most video clips were said to have been either shot in Hassan or Holenarasipura.
Although the clips were widely circulated in Hassan district, police did not initiate any action against Prajwal until Sunday.
Mohammed Sujeetha MS, Hassan SP, told the media that a case was registered after a victim gave her statement.
Holenarasipura town police registered a case under IPC sections 354 (a) (sexual harassment), 354 (d) (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (intending to insult the modesty of any woman).“We have taken a statement from the victim and the case has been handed over to the SIT. They are going to probe the case,” she said.
Incidentally, Prajwal had obtained an injunction from a local court to restrain the media, claiming videos had been doctored to tarnish his image before the elections.
His polling agent Poornachandra Tejaswi MG filed a complaint with the police, naming persons who had circulated the “morphed” clips.
Three days before polling, more than 2,000 pen drives were circulated across the Hassan constituency. “Pen drives were kept on bus seats, at bus stands, and were given to people in public places like parks.
These pen drives had more than 2000 files which included videos and photos.
After a few hours, we saw these being widely shared on WhatsApp. It was shocking,” an official said.
Many of the victims in the clips were said to be government employees, some house helpers, and others from the unorganised sector.