The state Karnataka government established a special investigative team on Saturday, April 27th, to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct against Prajwal Revanna, the Member of Parliament for Hassan and a prominent figure within the Janata Dal (Secular) party. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance NDA also fielded Revanna.
These allegations stem from a claim made by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, who asserts that he forwarded a pen drive containing around 3,000 videos, purportedly depicting women, including government officials, engaged in explicit activities and alleged that Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna used the footage to blackmail the women to continue engaging in such activities.
In his letter to the BJP’s state president BY Vijayendra, dated December 8, 2023, Devaraje Gowda, who was the party’s Holenarsipura candidate for the 2023 Assembly elections, said âthere are grave allegations against several leaders of the HD Deve Gowda family, including Prajwal Revanna, the NDA candidate of the JD(S), the party that we are in alliance withâ.
The BJP leader further claimed that another pen drive containing these videos and photos had reached the Congress national leaders.
âIf we align with the JD(S) and if we nominate a JD(S) candidate in Hassan for the Lok Sabha elections, these videos can be used as a ‘Brahmastra’ (destructive weapon), and we will be tainted as a party that aligned with the family of a rapist. This will be a big blow to the image of our party nationally,â Devaraje Gowda stated in his letter.
The JD(S) joined the NDA in September 2023.
This latest development comes as Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda, is in the middle of a controversy after some explicit videos purportedly showing him went viral on social media just two days before the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka on April 26.
The Karnataka government’s decision to establish this investigative team closely follows a letter from Dr. Nagalakshmi Chaudhary, Chairperson of the Karnataka State Commission for Women, urging Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to initiate a thorough investigation into the matter.
On April 24th, unidentified individuals leaked numerous private videos purportedly involving Prajwal Revanna, a member of one of Karnataka’s most influential political families.
What is Prajwal accused of?
The Congress alleged on Sunday that “a pen drive full of pornographic videos” revealed that “MP and NDA candidate Prajwal Revanna sexually assaulted thousands of women and recorded more than 3,000 objectionable videos of them”.
In a turn of events, Prajwal’s polling agent, Poornachandra Thejaswi, filed a complaint alleging that individuals, including one named Naveen, manipulated photos and videos of the NDA nominee for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat. These altered materials were allegedly being distributed to dissuade voters from supporting Prajwal in the ongoing elections.
Prajwal Revanna finds himself embroiled in a scandal that has rocked the Janata Dal (Secular) party in Karnataka for nearly a week. The first official complaint in this saga was lodged on Sunday, April 28th, by a 47-year-old woman who had previously worked at HD Revanna’s residence.
The survivor’s complaint, which led to the filing of a First Information Report (FIR) at the Holenarasipura Police Station, implicates both father and son in alleged acts of sexual harassment and abuse. The police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) based on this complaint.
The Karnataka government, reacting to the gravity of the situation, established a special investigative team on Saturday, April 27th, to probe the allegations against Prajwal Revanna. Revanna, the incumbent MP from Hassan and the BJP-led NDA’s candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Amidst the ongoing allegations, Prajwal left the country
According to reports, Prajwal has left the country and “fled” to Germany. Following the emergence of explicit videos, the Karnataka Womenâs Commission swiftly took action, writing to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Director General of Police Alok Mohan. The commission urged for a thorough investigation into Revanna’s purported sexual misconduct and the individuals responsible for leaking the videos
Responding to the commission’s concerns, the Chief Minister’s office announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to look into the matter. The order highlighted the prevalence of obscene videos circulating in Hassan, suggesting potential sexual assault against numerous women. Additionally, it noted that the Women’s Commission’s letter prompted the decision to establish the SIT. Meanwhile, authorities revealed that Revanna had reportedly travelled abroad amidst the unfolding controversy.
Details of the complaint
The complainant a 47year old woman, claiming to be a relative of Bhavani, wife of HD Revanna, has come forward with disturbing allegations against the Revanna family. According to her complaint, four months into her employment at their residence, she faced sexual harassment from HD Revanna and inappropriate video calls from his son, Prajwal Revanna, involving her daughter.
The complainant also revealed threats to her life and her family’s safety, adding another layer of fear and trauma to her ordeal. She detailed instances of alleged sexual assault, stating that HD Revanna would call her into secluded areas and engage in inappropriate touching. She added that she would get video calls, and the accused would use vulgar language.
The survivor said: âWhenever HD Revannaâs wife, Bhavani, wasnât there, he used to call me to the store room and touch me inappropriately. He used to remove saree pins and sexually assault her.â
The survivor painted a grim picture of her working environment, claiming that she and other female workers lived in constant fear, especially when Prajwal Revanna was present. She described instances where she was sexually assaulted while working in the kitchen or under the pretext of receiving a massage, which eventually forced her to resign from her position.
The situation escalated when explicit pictures and videos, purportedly involving Prajwal Revanna, went viral. The survivor recognized some of her former colleagues in these materials, leading to doubts about her fidelity in her marital relationship and inflicting severe mental anguish.
Despite enduring physical and mental trauma, the survivor explained that fear for her life prevented her from filing a complaint earlier. However, the severity of the situation prompted her to break her silence and seek justice for herself and others who may have suffered similar abuse.
How JDS and NDA partners reacted
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy said, “Whether it is me or HD Deve Gowda, we always respect women, and whenever they come with complaints, we have tried to resolve their problems. The CM has already ordered an SIT investigation, and the SIT investigation has started… The SIT team will bring him back from abroad. That’s not my concern.”
In contrast, the BJP distanced itself from Prajwal Revanna amidst the unfolding scandal. S Prakash, the chief spokesperson of the BJP’s state unit, said, “We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos, 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 Revanna.”.
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Meanwhile, members of the Congress women’s wing staged a protest in Bengaluru, demanding the immediate arrest of Prajwal Revanna in connection with the alleged sex scandal. The protesters, expressing dissatisfaction with the situation, burned posters of the 33-year-old grandson of JD(S) supremo HD Deve Gowda and called for a thorough investigation into the case.
A Congress leader has called for his immediate arrest, advocating for severe punishment, including hanging, asserting that his actions have tarnished Karnataka’s reputation. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to delve into the “obscene videos case,” citing reports of sexual assault circulating in Hassan district.
Former Karnataka Chief Minister and BJP leader Basavaraj Bommai expressed scepticism about the timing of the allegations, suggesting a pre-planned agenda. Bommai said, “I think that, given the timing they have done it, these are all pre-planned. Fake videos are there. There are so many such videos. There are no inquiries. Why special inquiry on this?” Bommai also criticized the Congress government in Karnataka for its failure to ensure the safety of women.
Interestingly, Prime Minister Modi, whose party is an ally of the JDS in Karnataka, hasnât spoken a word since the allegations came to light.
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