Hassan pen drive scandal: Deve Gowda's grandson flees to Germany; CM orders SIT probe

On Saturday, Siddaramaiah posted on X, "The government has decided to form a special investigation team in connection with Prajwal Revanna's obscene video case. Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district and it is apparent that sexual violence has been committed against women. In this background, the Chairperson of the Women's Commission has written to the government asking for an SIT investigation. I am responding to this request. This resolution has been carried out."

Talking point

This sex scandal has become a talking point amid the ongoing Lok Sabha elections with both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Janata Dal (Secular) trying to allay voter's fears. The Hassan MP in his complaint to the police had said that the videos are morphed and being circulated to "tarnish his image and poison the minds of voters."

The pen drives contain images and video clips of women from different walks of life, which includes actresses and ordinary housewives and others being allegedly sexually assaulted by Prajwal Revanna. A week before voting began in Hassan constituency, these pen drives were strewn around in public places in Hassan.

Later, the video and pictures on the pen drives went viral on social media.

Shocking case

According to sources, not only the state but the entire country was shocked over the scandal involving a public representative who not only sexually exploited many women, but also filmed their private moments.

Prajwal Revanna is the sitting MP of the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency and has been fronted as the BJP-JD(S) candidate in the 2024 LS election. He is pitted opposite Congress candidate, Shreyas Patel, the grandson of the lte G Puttaswamy Gowda. Hassan gave India its first Kannadiga Prime Minister — JD(S) stalwart HD Deve Gowda.

Sources said that Revanna had used his influence, threatened and lured women, who came in contact with him, to purportedly have sex with him. It is said that he had recorded the act himself, and the video and pictures fell into the hands of someone a year ago. Just before the first phase of elections in Karnataka, and before the voting began in the Hassan constituency, the images and videos were loaded on pen drives and thrown in public places across Hassan's constituency.

Women's Commission intervenes

The Karnataka state women's commission, who were alerted by women’s organisations, had written a letter to Siddaramaiah and the state police chief urging them to investigate the issue since it involves the dignity and lives of the women in the clips and images.

There was no effort made to hide the identity of the women in the clips.

Also, the Commission wrote to the Hassan district superintendent of police to investigate the specific case with reference to the social media statement of a woman victim and get the woman's statement and file a case.

Also, a woman claiming to be the victim of the case has allegedly filed an official complaint.

Police busy with election duty

However, responding to The Federal Karnataka's question about the Women's Commission's letter, the Hassan district SP, Sujitha Mohammad admitted that they had received the Women's Commission's letter. "However, we are currently under the pressure of election duty. So we will pay attention to this matter on Monday," she said.

Meanwhile, sources said that Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, whom the government identified as an accused (cited in the Chief Minister's statement), fled to Frankfurt, Germany on Saturday morning. He has left the country after voting in the Hassan constituency election ended on Friday.

Eye-wash tactic

Women's organisations are upset that Revanna has left the country.

"Had the government realised the enormity of the case and the political influence and power of those involved and ordered an immediate investigation after the commission's letter, perhaps, it would not have been possibile for the influential youth leader whose name is involved in the case to escape. However, due to the government's delay in taking swift action, the accused escaped," pointed out KS Vimala of United Janavadi Women's Organisation to The Federal Karnataka.

Further Vimala said that they are not happy with a SIT investigation considering that “the CM is close to the accused's father and that some officials are also involved in the case”.

“We demand a judicial investigation. There are doubts that the SIT investigation is just an eye-wash tactic considering the government's slow attitude and neglect. And also after hearing the information that the accused is absconding. We do not believe in this investigation," said Vimala.

Meanwhile, Ravi Krishna Reddy, president of the Karnataka Rashtra Samiti (KRS), who filed a complaint on the issue in Hassan and Holenarseepur two days ago, felt the state police department should have filed a voluntary complaint in such a sensitive case and taken action.

“Even after the complaint was filed and the FIR was registered, the local police did not take any action. Also, since he is a parliamentarian, he remains under police escort. However, the question is how the police let him escape even when such a serious charge has been heard against him. This is a state issue. It is a complete failure of the police department. There are serious doubts over whether the police officers helped in his escape," accused Reddy.

Further, Reddy told The Federal Karnataka, "The police department should have kept an eye on the movements of the MP from the moment his name was mentioned in such a shocking case. Especially, the Hassan SP should have kept a closer watch. But, this is a tragedy. We will intensify the struggle in the matter. We will continue the struggle for the aggrieved women despite the failure of the government and the police department.”

Social organisations are concerned about the enormity of the heinous sex scandal, which involves the lives and dignity of many women. 

This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka