Rape and kidnapping cases have been filed against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna and his father and former Karnataka minister HD Revanna in the sex tapes scandal. These are the two fresh cases against the father-son duo in the matter.
The rape case was filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police. It has been filed under Section 376 of the IPC. It lists charges under Section 376(2) (N) (committing rape repeatedly), 506 (criminal intimidation), 354A(1)(ii) (demand for sexual favour), 354(B) (assault or criminal force on a woman with the intention to disrobe her), and 354(C) (uploading of nude or semi-nude pictures), and the IT Act.
Prajwal Revanna, who is the grandson of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, has been named as the sole accused in the FIR. The SIT officers submitted the FIR to the magistrate's court on Thursday.
Prajwal Revanna, who is the grandson of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, has been named as the sole accused in the FIR. The SIT officers submitted the FIR to the magistrate's court on Thursday.
In the complaint, Raju alleged that he and his mother worked at the Revanna house and farmhouse for six years, and it had been three years since they quit. Shortly before the Lok Sabha elections began, a person identified as Satish went to their house and took his mother to a different region.
On the day of the election, Satish brought his mother back home and said to Raju and his mother to elope if the police came to their house. "If they come to you, let me know, I'll take you away," the complainant was allegedly told.
On April 29, around 9 pm, Satish went to Raju's house again and forcibly took the latter's mother, saying HD Revanna ordered her to be brought to him, citing a case will be filed against the complainant, and he might also go to jail if the police find him. On May 1, Raju learnt from his friends and his mother's sexual assault video had gone viral. Later, his relatives told him that in the video, his mother's legs could be seen tied.
On May 1 night, Raju claimed to have called Satish to know about the whereabouts of his mother, pleading to send her back home. However, the complainant was allegedly intimidated, saying an FIR was filed against her mother over an earlier fight that involved HD Revanna and where she was seen holding a stick in a photo.
"I don’t know where my mother was taken. I fear for her life. I request you to take action under the law and find my mother," Raju wrote in the complaint.
Earlier, a case was registered against Prajwal Revanna and HD Revanna for sexual harassment, intimidation, stalking and outraging the dignity of a woman based on a complaint by a woman who worked at their house.
Prajwal Revanna, who is seeking re-election from Hassan constituency in the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, has been embroiled in a massive controversy after multiple explicit videos purportedly of him were shared widely on social media. The JD(S) MP, however, has alleged the videos were morphed and also lodged a complaint in the matter via his polling agent.
The SIT formed by the Karnataka government issued a global lookout notice against him on Thursday at all immigration centres around the world. Prajwal Revanna fled the country soon after the sexual abuse allegations surfaced, and later was reported to have gone to Frankfurt in Germany on April 26.
Prajwal Revanna was supposed to appear before the SIT on Thursday. He, however, filed a plea with a sessions court in Bengaluru seeking anticipatory bail.
However, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the JD(S) MP did not seek politicial clearance for his Germany trip.
The matter has become the latest flashpoint between the BJP and the Congress, considering JD(S) is the NDA ally in Karnataka. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sought an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi while speaking at a rally in the southern state, claiming Prajwal Revanna mass-raped women and made sex videos.
Local BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda came to the news amid the sex scandal after his letter to the party's Karnataka chief BY Vijayendra last year, urging him not to give the Haasan poll ticket to Prajwal Revanna, surfaced. He flagged serious allegations and warned of political consequences after claiming he gained access to a pen drive from the Haasan MP's former driver that contained nearly 3,000 sex videos.
On Thursday, Devaraje Gowda appeared before the SIT and submitted all the digital evidence, including the pen drive. He also recorded his statements before the team and revealed how he got hold of the pen drive.
His appearance came after the SIT served notice to the BJP leader in connection with the sex scandal.
