The sexual assault case against Prajwal Revanna — here’s what we know so far

KV Prasad Jun 13, 2022, 06:35 AM IST (Published)

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Prajwal Revanna, Janata Dal Secular’s sole MP and the NDA candidate from Hassan in Karnataka, finds himself at the epicentre of a political storm. Even as sex video clips, allegedly involving him went viral days before the April 26 polling, an FIR was filed against him and his father MLA HD Revanna on April 28, on charges of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation by the Holenarsipur Town Police. The complainant is a 47-year-old woman.

Prajwal is the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and the nephew of JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy. The JD(S) is in an alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party for the ongoing Lok Sabha polls and contested three seats Hassan, Kolar and Mandya on the party symbol – all by Gowda family members.

The complainant alleged that she faced harassment at the hands of the father-son duo, while working at their household for three-and-a-half years from 2019. Detailing allegations of purported harassment that she suffered along with other domestic helps, the complainant said she chose to step forward and report after watching online clips of other women narrating their experiences. Prajwal since, has reportedly left the country. Prajwal’s election agent had earlier filed a complaint alleging that ‘morphed videos’ of the Hassan MP were circulating online. The Karnataka government has announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged sex videos.

ಪ್ರಜ್ವಲ್ ರೇವಣ್ಣ ಅವರ ಅಶ್ಲೀಲ ವಿಡಿಯೋ ಪ್ರಕರಣಕ್ಕೆ ಸಂಬಂಧಿಸಿದಂತೆ ವಿಶೇಷ ತನಿಖಾ ತಂಡ ರಚಿಸಲು ಸರ್ಕಾರ ತೀರ್ಮಾನಿಸಿದೆ.

ಹಾಸನ ಜಿಲ್ಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಅಶ್ಲೀಲ ವೀಡಿಯೋ ತುಣುಕುಗಳು ಹರಿದಾಡುತ್ತಿದ್ದು, ಮಹಿಳೆಯರ ಮೇಲೆ ಲೈಂಗಿಕ ದೌರ್ಜನ್ಯ ಎಸಗಿರುವುದು ಮೇಲ್ನೋಟಕ್ಕೆ ಕಂಡು ಬರುತ್ತಿದೆ.
ಈ ಹಿನ್ನೆಲೆಯಲ್ಲಿ ಎಸ್.ಐ.ಟಿ ತನಿಖೆ ನಡೆಸುವಂತೆ ಮಹಿಳಾ…

— Siddaramaiah (@siddaramaiah) April 27, 2024

The JD(S) is yet to release an official statement on the developments involving Prajwal. Kumaraswamy told reporters, “Let the facts come out through a probe.”

The BJP has distanced itself from the issue as well. S Prakash, chief spokesperson of the party’s Karnataka unit, said, “We’ve nothing to do with the video and neither do we have any comments to make on the SIT probe announced by the state government into the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal.” Reports suggested that the BJP was aware of the alleged sex tapes and had asked the JD(S) not to field Prajwal.

Members of the Congress’ women wing staged protests in Bengaluru on April 28, demanding Prajwal’s arrest. NCW, on Tuesday said that they have taken suo-motu cognizance of the matter. It has sent a letter to the Karnataka DGP demanding swift action and a detailed report within three days.

Fourteen Lok Sabha seats in Karnataka will vote in phase 3 on May 7, bringing the curtains down on polling season in the state.

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KV Prasad Journo follow politics, process in Parliament and US Congress. Former Congressional APSA-Fulbright Fellow