Where is Prajwal? As more victims come forward, MP in no rush to return to India

Despite making a public promise on his X (formerly Twitter) handle that he would return to India within seven days on May 1, Prajwal Revanna continues to evade the Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to investigate the scandal rocking the country during the election season.

Prajwal, who has three FIRs filed against him, is accused of allegedly recording videos of him sexually assaulting women, had sent feelers to the SIT that he would return to India either on May 5 or May 7. However, the SIT teams waited in vain for him at Bengaluru, Goa, Kochi, and Mangaluru airports.

Sources say that currently he is holed up in the Gulf.

Serious cases

An SIT official told The Federal that Prajwal has probably realised the seriousness of the case against him. Moreover, FIRs are piling up against him.

Initially, the first FIR was registered under section 354 (outraging modesty of women). Later, however, the SIT invoked Sections 376 (2)(n) (repeatedly raping the same woman and is punishable with rigorous imprisonment for not less than ten years, but which may extend to imprisonment for life) and provisions under the Information Technology Act against Prajwal.

The IT is being invoked since he is being charged for using his mobile phone to record women and saving the videos on his phone and google drive. Also, the police can check if he has transferred these videos to the women to blackmail them. These sections are serious, and the accused has no chance of getting bail soon.

"Also, more FIRs are being registered as more victims are coming forward to record their statements. This has become a huge setback for Prajwal at this juncture, and probably made him think twice about returning to India. He is sure to get arrested and may not be able to get out of this as well," an official added.

The noose tightens

Meanwhile, the statements of the victims in this case are being recorded in a magistrate court in Bengaluru and before the SIT.

More women are coming forward, said the official. Three FIRs are currently registered against him, and more are expected based on the victims' statements.

Further, he added, “Two victims have already recorded their statements before the judge, while six others have recorded their statements to the SIT. They will also testify before the court," he said.

"We are in touch with almost 50 victims, and nine of them have recorded their statements before the SIT. Many are willing to come to court. So, Prajwal is facing rape, and other charges which are non-bailable, which are considered heinous crimes. Thus, he is aware that the noose of the law is tightening around him. So, he may remain abroad and continue the legal fight in Bengaluru," pointed out the SIT official.

Luring women

According to sources, to lure women, Prajwal Revanna allegedly promised transfers and other favours to government women officials. Two such officials have come forward and recorded their statements and complained that they were sexually assaulted for a period of three years.

The two government officials told the SIT that they first met Prajwal for their transfer. According to SIT sources, these female officers were sexually assaulted from 2019 to 2021 during the COVID period. Prajwal regularly called them at night, encouraged them to talk and sometimes used video calls and tortured the victims to strip.

Prajwal, under the pretext of talking about transfers, threatened and sexually assaulted them many times. Sources said that the victimised women officers have admitted that they were raped.

Besides government officials, some women representatives of local bodies were also targeted by him. SIT sources said that the women representatives mentioned in the statement that Prajwal called them under the pretext of discussing development works and sexually assaulted them.

During the interrogation, the victims confessed that Prajwal lured them by promising good posts, getting good contract works, and developmental projects, etc. The victims' statements were recorded, and no cross-examination was made, said SIT sources.

After HD Revanna's arrest (father of Prajwal Revanna, who is also accused in two cases, including outraging the modesty of a housemaid and also kidnapping a rape victim in Prajwal’s case), the victims seem to be more forthcoming. “The efforts of the police to trace Prajwal through Interpol's Blue Corner Notice made the victims believe in the police system and encouraged them to come forward," the sources said.

Victims turn to helpline

Some victims have also called the helpline (6360-938947) started in connection with the case and sought help. Victims traumatised by the exposure of sexual assault videos are being contacted and persuaded to come forward and give their statements.

A separate team has been formed to contact the victims and encourage them to give their statements.