Sexual abuse: Special court issues arrest warrant against JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna

“An arrest warrant has been issued against Hassan sitting MP Prajwal Revanna. This is now the first step towards the cancellation of Revanna’s diplomatic passport. An order has been issued by Special Court for Elected Representatives on a plea by the SIT,” sources said.

Related: Efforts on to bring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna back to India, says minister

Three FIRs

At least three FIRs on alleged sexual violence and kidnapping against 33-year-old Prajwal have been registered by the Hassan district police and the Central Investigation Department (CID).

On 7 May, the CBI  issued a Blue Corner notice against Prajwal, said to be in Germany. The notice was issued in 196 countries on the Special Investigation Team (SIT)’s request.

Prajwal’s father and Holenarsipura MLA HD Revanna was arrested on 4 May for allegedly sexually harassing and kidnapping a woman, who had earlier worked in their house. He was granted conditional bail on 13 May.

Related: No objection to action against grandson if he is found guilty: Deve Gowda

Identities revealed

On 21 April, unidentified miscreants leaked thousands of intimate videos and photographs involving Prajwal. The identities of the harassed women were also revealed.

After the videos were leaked, the Karnataka State Commission for Women on 27 April wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, recommending the setting up of a SIT to probe the alleged sex scandal on 27 April. The SIT was constituted the next day.

The SIT issued a summons to Prajwal to appear before them on 30 April. However, he had by then gone missing.

Related: SIT not going abroad to bring Prajwal back

Rules to revoke diplomatic passport

The issuance of the arrest warrant against Prajwal would allow the Union government to revoke his diplomatic passport.

Section 10(3) (d) and (e) of the Passport Act allows revocation of the passport.

“The passport authority may revoke a passport if the holder of the passport or travel document has, at any time after the issue of the passport been convicted by a court in India for any offence involving moral turpitude and sentenced in respect thereof to imprisonment for not less than two years,” Section 10 (3) says.

Section 10(3) (e) allows for revoking the passport if proceedings in respect of any offence alleged to have been committed by the holder are pending before a criminal court in India.

As soon as the news of the court issuing the arrest warrant, netizens demanded the Modi government to revoke Prajwal’s diplomatic passport.

(Edited by Majnu Babu).