Sexual assault accused Prajwal Revanna books flight from Munich to Bengaluru but hopes for anticipatory bail dashed

Sexual assault accused and suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna has reportedly booked a return ticket to Bengaluru from Munich on May 30 while his anticipatory bail plea was rejected on May 29 by a special court in Bengaluru.

According to sources in the Special Investigation Team, Revanna, who is the grandson of JDS supremo H D Deve Gowda, is expected to land in Bengaluru in the early hours of May 31.

The special court for Elected Representative dismissed the bail application of Revanna, currently in Germany, which was moved by his advocate Arun.

The 33-year-old suspended leader is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, in a rape case. Previously, the Hassan MP had filed pleas in three cases in which the court had asked the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the cases to file objections against these pleas which were filed on his behalf. 

Revanna had earlier released a video message in which he announced that he is going to attend the SIT probe on May 31 in Bengaluru. Meanwhile, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara has said that the state police will arrest him as soon as he lands in Bengaluru for which surveillance has been increased Kempegowda International Airport.

Denying the reports that he left the country after a complaint was registered against him, Revanna, in the video, said that his foreign trip was pre-planned and he only learned about allegations after leaving the country a month ago. 

Prajwal Revanna said, “After Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, spread rumors against me, I went into depression, and I isolated myself. A political conspiracy is going on to finish my career, and I will face it."

Close to 3000 obscene videos emerged in April, allegedly showing Revanna sexually abusing several women. The videos were circulated days before Hassan constituency in Karnataka voted during the ongoing Lok Sabha elections, after which Revanna travelled to Germany using his diplomatic passport, set to expire in November 2024.

The first FIR against Revanna was filed on April 28 after a victim came forward, and three more FIRs of rape have been filed against him since then.

In the backdrop of allegations, a protest is planned by a network of organizations at Naaveddu Nilladiddare in Karnataka which will hold a ‘Hassan Chalo’ rally on May 30. Reportedly, around 10,000 people, including women, farmers, students, gender minorities, writers, intellectuals, artists, and retired government officers, are expected to participate in a public protest.