Bengaluru: Hassan MP Prajwal returns to India, arrested by SIT at airport

PTI, May 31, 2024, 8:07 AM IST

Prajwal Revanna (File Photo)

Bengaluru: Suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was arrested on Friday by the SIT probing the case, minutes after he landed from Germany here past midnight.

The 33 year-old MP was arrested at the Kempegowda International Airport by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), after he arrived from Munich and was taken to the CID office for interrogation.

A large number of policemen were deployed at the airport to ensure he was taken safely for investigation.

The MP, wearing what seemed like a hoodie, returned to Bengaluru a month after the scandal broke out, only to be taken into custody by the Central Industrial Security Forces sleuths, who later handed him over to the SIT.

A court warrant was pending against him. After the formalities, the SIT took him under its custody, sources said.

According to officials, police escorted him through a different exit, keeping in mind his security.

Exactly a month after he left the country, Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, had on May 27 released a video stating he will appear before the SIT on May 31.

The 33-year-old Prajwal, grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda and the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges sexually abusing many women. He has been so far booked in three cases of sexual assault.

He had left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls. A ‘Blue Corner Notice’ seeking information on his whereabouts has been issued by the Interpol earlier, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant on May 18 against Prajwal Revanna, following an application moved by the SIT. The Congress-led Karnataka government has urged the Centre to cancel his diplomatic passport.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has served a show-cause notice to Prajwal asking why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled as sought by the Karnataka government in view of allegations of sexual abuse against him.

The MP, terming the cases against him as false and alleging political conspiracy, had said in a video statement issued earlier this week that he had gone into depression.

He had also field an anticipatory bail plea at the Principal City and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives on May 29, which issued a notice to the SIT to file objections, before posting the hearing for Friday.

The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.

While the Congress government has formed a SIT to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) — NDA partners — have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI, and action be taken against those behind the wide circulation of explicit videos.

The cases of sexual abuse came to light after a number of pen drives allegedly containing explicit videos involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.

Deve Gowda had recently issued a ‘stern warning’ to Prajwal Revanna, asking him to return to the country and face probe into the sexual abuse allegations, while asserting there will be no interference from him or other family members into the enquiry.

The JD(S) supremo had reiterated that his grandson should be given the harshest punishment under the law “if found guilty”.

Prajwal’s uncle and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy too had repeatedly appealed to his nephew to return to the country from abroad and face the probe.

JD(S) has suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party following the allegations.