Grandson of H D Deve Gowda, Prajwal, and Son Revanna Implicated in Sex Scandal

Following the Karnataka government’s decision to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to investigate the alleged involvement of JD(S) MP and Hassan candidate Prajwal Revanna in a sex scandal reportedly involving multiple women, a woman has also named his father HD Revanna, Holenarasipura MLA and son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, as a suspect in her police complaint.

Prajwal is reported to have departed for Germany. The woman who lodged the complaint informed Holenarasipura police that she chose to come forward and name Revanna and Prajwal after viewing online clips of other victims recounting their experiences. She detailed her case, alleging that the abuse occurred between 2019 and 2022.

Her complaint, along with those of others, and the FIR filed against Prajwal will be handled by the SIT led by Additional General of Police Bijay Kumar Singh. The team includes IPS officers Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar.

In the midst of the Lok Sabha elections in the state, a political storm has erupted, leading Revanna’s brother and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy to distance the party from the issue. “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,” he stated.

In a previous interview with Asianet Suvarna News, Kumaraswamy acknowledged that the BJP at the Centre had warned them about the video clips. “BJP leaders informed us that there were issues in the Hassan Lok Sabha segment and advised us not to field Prajwal Revanna. But Deve Gowda assured them of a victory there,” he said.

Following a letter from the State Commission for Women stating that “influential politicians sought sexual favours” from women and “raped some of them”, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah announced his government’s decision to form a SIT. Sex video clips, allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna, appeared on social media three days before Hassan voted on April 26 in Phase 2 of the elections.

One of the alleged victims accused Prajwal of sexual abuse and recording the entire incident while speaking to the media. “I have come out now after learning that hundreds of women were exploited,” she said. When asked why she did not complain earlier, she said, “It is difficult to live in Hassan and confront the family.”

Most video clips were reportedly filmed in either Hassan or Holenarasipura. Despite the widespread circulation of the clips in Hassan district, police did not take any action against Prajwal until Sunday. Mohammed Sujeetha MS, Hassan SP, told The Indian Express 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.

Interestingly, 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 police, naming persons who had circulated the “morphed” clips.

Three days before polling, more than 2,000 pen drives were distributed across the Hassan constituency. “Pen drives were left on bus seats, at bus stands and were handed out to people in public places like parks. These pen drives contained 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.