JD(S) suspends Prajwal Revanna over multiple charges of sexual assault; NCW steps in

The Janata Dal (Secular), a BJP ally, on Tuesday (April 30) suspended Prajwal Revanna, its Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan in Karnataka, after videos showed him sexually assaulting scores of women.

Prajwal Revanna, an outgoing MP and grandson of JD(S) founder and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was also issued a show cause notice by the party.

The video clips were public knowledge for some time but surfaced on the social media in a big way soon after Hassan went to the polls in the first round of general elections in Karnataka on April 26. The 33-year-old is himself said to have shot the video so that he could keep blackmailing the women in future as well.

A woman, who worked as a housemaid at the house of Revannas, filed a police complaint against both Prajwal Revanna and his father and MLA HD Revanna.

She alleged she had been sexually abused multiple times between 2019 and 2022. She said HD Revanna sexually assaulted her when his wife was not at home.

Prajwal denies charge

Prajwal has denied the allegations against him and filed a complaint, claiming that the videos being circulated are “doctored”. But as the Karnataka government set up a special investigation team, the MP left for Germany on Sunday.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has said that Prajwal will be asked to return to India.

BJP leader Devaraje Gowda, who was the party's Holenarsipura candidate in the 2023 Assembly elections, says he had spoken about the "grave allegations" against Prajwal Revanna with the BJP. He claimed to have received a pen drive containing 2,976 explicit videos involving Prajwal Revanna with women.

NCW seeks report

Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) has sought a report within three days from the Karnataka police over allegations of sexual abuse involving Prajwal Revanna.

In a letter to Karnataka DGP, the NCW drew attention to this matter following the circulation of several explicit video clips on social media platforms depicting Revanna allegedly engaged in acts of sexual abuse against multiple women.

The commission urged prompt and decisive action to apprehend the accused, who is reported to have fled the country.

It also emphasised the importance of ensuring the safety and dignity of women and preventing the perpetuation of a culture that fosters disrespect and violence against them.

‘Deeply disturbed’

"The Commission strongly condemns the incident and is deeply disturbed by its occurrence," the letter read.

"Such events not only endanger women's safety but also foster a culture of disrespect and violence against them. We urge prompt and decisive action from the concerned Police Authority to swiftly apprehend the accused, who has fled the country," it said.

The commission has demanded that a detailed report outlining the measures taken by the police authority concerned be submitted to it within three days.

The police on Sunday booked Prajwal and his father -- JD(S) MLA and former minister HD Revanna -- for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household.

Prajwal (33) is the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, which went to polls on April 26.

(With agency inputs)