Bengaluru court rejects bail plea of Prajwal Revanna in sexual assault case

Along with him, three others, including former BJP MLA from Hassan, Preetham Gowda have also been named in the FIR for allegedly sharing images captured by Prajwal during the sexual harassment of the victim on a video call, they said.

With the fresh FIR, this is the fourth case registered against Prajwal.

“A fresh case has been registered by the SIT against Prajwal and three others. Former BJP MLA Preetham Gowda has also been named in the FIR,” a police source confirmed to PTI.

The case has been registered under sections 355 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354 D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and 66 E (punishment for violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act, according to the police sources.

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Prajwal’s custody extended

Meanwhile, Prajwal Revanna’s custody was extended four more days till 29 June.

The police custody of Prajwal, the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, was extended till 29 June in a CID Cybercrime case for recording the videos of victims, sources said.

The 33-year-old Prajwal was arrested on 31 May soon after he returned from Germany where he was holed up after an investigation about the alleged sexual abuse by him was taken up by the Karnataka police.

A ‘Blue Corner Notice’ seeking information on his whereabouts had earlier been issued by Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the CBI.

Prajwal failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent Lok Sabha polls. A Special Court for Elected Representatives had issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal on 18 May, following an application moved by the SIT.

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Case against former MP

Prajwal was arrested in a case registered against him in Holenarasipura in Hassan district on 28 April. He was accused of sexually harassing a 47-year-old former maid.

He is listed as accused number two, while his father Revanna, is the primary accused. Revanna is also accused of sexually harassing the cook at his house. There are also charges of rape against him.

The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on 26 April.
The Karnataka government formed the SIT to probe the cases against Prajwal on the recommendation of the Karnataka State Commission for Women chairperson Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, who wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to investigate the matter.

In a symbolic gesture meant to give confidence to victims of his alleged crimes, an all-women team of police personnel escorted Prajwal Revanna from the airport where he was detained.

They were led by two IPS officers, Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar. The incumbent Hassan MP was then taken in a jeep in which only women police were there. They took him to the CID office for interrogation.

(With PTI inputs)

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