Sexual abuse case: No sign of Prajwal’s return as deadline set by him ended on Tuesday

PTI, May 7, 2024, 8:22 PM IST

Bengaluru: The seven days’ time sought by Hassan’s NDA Lok Sabha candidate Prajwal Revanna to appear before the Special Investigation Team probing sexual abuse allegations against him ended on Tuesday but there was no sign of his return from abroad.

The 33-year-old JD(S) MP and grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda flew to Germany as soon as news spread that the Karnataka State Commission for Women Nagalakshmi Chowdhary had written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking a probe into the explicit videos of Prajwal allegedly sexually abusing several women.

A lookout notice for Prajwal has been issued at all airports in India, along with a Blue Corner notice.

A Blue Corner notice issued by Interpol helps countries collect and share information regarding a person’s location and their activities as part of a criminal investigation.

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy claimed on Tuesday that he was not in touch with his nephew Prajwal.

Addressing a press conference, the JD(S) second-in-command said action against those who commit offences should be taken as per law.

Sources in the Special Investigation Team said they received calls on a helpline number on Monday as well as on Tuesday but they declined to share details.

However, Kumaraswamy claimed that no one had called the helpline number till now.

Meanwhile, JD(S) MLA H D Revanna and Prajwal’s father, who is in the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on charges of kidnapping a woman who was allegedly sexually abused by Prajwal, failed to get relief on Tuesday from the Special Court for Elected Representatives here.

The court adjourned the hearing on his bail plea to Wednesday.

The SIT took him to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital and Victoria Hospital for a medical check-up on Tuesday evening.

Revanna, son of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, and his confidant Sathish Babanna were booked on Thursday night for allegedly abducting a woman on April 29.

The case was registered on a complaint filed by the woman’s son. In his complaint, he accused Revanna’s son and JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna of having sexually abused his mother.

The SIT has also secured the custody of Babanna.

The woman was allegedly abducted to prevent her from testifying against Prajwal, police sources said.