Media earlier reported that in 2020, a woman who worked as a domestic help in the house of HD Revanna was raped by him.
Published Aug 23, 2024 | 11:37 PM ⚊ Updated Aug 24, 2024 | 8:55 AM
Former MP Prajwal Revanna and MLA HD Revanna
A 2,144-page comprehensive charge sheet has been filed against Karnataka MLA and JD(S) leader HD Revanna as the first accused, and his son and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, the second accused, before the Special People’s Court in Bengaluru. The two have served as senior leaders of the Janata Dal (Secular).
HD Revanna, the son of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, represents Holenarsipura in Hassan district in the state assembly, while 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna is the former MP who represented Hassan. He was also among the youngest MPs in India.
The charge sheet was filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Karnataka Police which is probing charges of sexual assault and rape of numerous women by the father-son duo.
The case rests on evidence in the form of videos that began to circulate ahead of the Lok Sabha elections this year. Given the nature of the accusations against a candidate in the polls, the media picked up the videos showing sexual violence/rape of women in Hassan district.
The chairperson of the State Women’s Commission has sought that the police also probe who filmed the sexual exploitation and who made the footage public, thus harming the dignity of the women depicted as being exploited by politicians.
Media earlier reported that in 2020, a woman who worked as a domestic help in the house of HD Revanna was raped by him; later, that same year, his son Prajwal also raped the same woman.
Former MP Prajwal Revanna, 33, was accused of forcing the woman’s daughter to talk to him on a video call and strip in the course of the call. A complaint was registered against HD Revanna, and Prajwal Revanna for sexually assaulting and threatening women at Holenarsipura Town Police Station.
The SIT interrogated more than 150 witnesses during the investigation and recorded the statements of the victims and witnesses under Section 164 CrPC.
The SIT has also obtained expert opinions after collecting evidence and subjecting these to forensic tests.
When Lok Sabha polling for his constituency ended on 26 April, Prajwal Revanna fled abroad on a diplomatic passport as the videos went viral. He remained untraceable for a while, and was arrested by the SIT when he landed in Bengaluru from Germany on 31 May. He has since been in custody.
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas with inputs from Mahesh M Goudar)
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