JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was arrested upon his arrival at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru. Revanna, facing serious allegations of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation, was taken into custody by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka government and brought to the CID office for questioning on Friday, shortly after his flight landed.
#WATCH | Karnataka: Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse charges was brought to the CID office, in Bengaluru.
He has been arrested by SIT and is likely to be brought to the government hospital for medical examination. pic.twitter.com/ndKZghNpvD
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
#WATCH | Karnataka: Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse charges was brought to the CID office, in Bengaluru.
He has been arrested by SIT and is likely to be brought to the government hospital for medical examination. pic.twitter.com/ndKZghNpvD
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
#WATCH | ‘Obscene videos’ case | JD(S) suspended MP Prajwal Revanna brought to the CID office in Bengaluru. pic.twitter.com/ZVnkJoNEnK
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
Revanna’s arrest is followed after a complaint was filed by a woman who had been employed in his household, accusing him of sexual misconduct. The SIT, tasked with investigating the case, detained him immediately after he landed from Berlin, Germany, where he had been staying for nearly a month amidst the ongoing investigation. Security measures were intensified at the CID office in anticipation of Revanna’s arrival, with barricades set up to manage the expected commotion.
#WATCH | Karnataka: Security stepped up outside the CID office in Bengaluru, ahead of the arrival of JD(S) suspended MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse charges against him.
Revanna has been taken into custody by the SIT. pic.twitter.com/v7Yr4AzndG
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
The allegations against Revanna have sparked significant political interest, with Karnataka Youth Congress president Mohammed Haris Nalapad alleging that Revanna’s trip abroad was orchestrated by the BJP. “The programme of Prajwal Revanna to go outside India is sponsored by BJP. On the day of the 26th of May after polling, he was sent immediately with a diplomatic passport outside…The BJP, Narendra Modi ji, Amit Shah ji and our Yediyurappa ji all planned together and sent to Prajwal Revanna outside,” said Nalapad. He claimed that prominent BJP leaders facilitated Revanna’s departure using a diplomatic passport.
#WATCH | Bengaluru, Karnataka: Youth Congress president Mohammed Haris Nalapad says, “The program of Prajwal Revanna to go outside India is sponsored by BJP. On the day of the 26th of May after polling, he was sent immediately with a diplomatic passport outside…The BJP,… pic.twitter.com/1kj3l2qiAf
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
In response to the accusations, Karnataka Congress MP DK Suresh confirmed that Revanna had planned to cooperate with the SIT investigation, emphasizing that Revanna himself had announced his intention to attend the questioning session scheduled for May 31. “He (Prajwal Revann) has already mentioned that he is attending SIT tomorrow. The SIT will take care of that,” Suresh had reiterated.
#WATCH | Karnataka: Congress MP DK Suresh says, “…He (Prajwal Revann) has already mentioned that he is attending SIT tomorrow. The SIT will take care of that…” pic.twitter.com/AzTpL51hEJ
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
Revanna, in a video statement released on May 27, maintained that his trip to Germany was pre-planned and that no charges were pending against him at the time of his departure. He suggested that the allegations were part of a political conspiracy aimed at undermining his career.
The legal proceedings surrounding Revanna’s case are ongoing, with his anticipatory bail plea still pending in court. This plea was filed on May 29, shortly after the SIT arrested two key suspects, Naveen Gowda and Chetan, who allegedly distributed pen drives containing videos of Revanna engaging in sexual acts. The arrests were made when the suspects appeared in court seeking anticipatory bail.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has also intervened, issuing a show-cause notice to revoke Revanna’s diplomatic passport. MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal confirmed that Revanna was given ten days to respond to the notice, after which further action would be taken. “MEA has initiated action under provisions in the Passport Act 1967 for revocation of the diplomatic passport of Prajwal Revanna. A show cause notice was issued to the passport holder on May 23, giving him 10 working days to respond to our notice. We are waiting for his response and accordingly, we will take things forward once we hear from him or once the 10-day period expires,” he said.
Meanwhile, public outrage has been mounting, culminating in a massive protest organized by the Union of Karnataka People’s Movement in Hassan district. Thousands of demonstrators, representing over 100 organizations, participated in the ‘Hassan Chalo’ protest, demanding Revanna’s arrest and condemning the exploitation of women. The protest included various societal groups, from students and farmers to intellectuals and gender minorities, all united in their call for justice.
The demonstrators criticized not only Revanna but also those responsible for distributing the incriminating pen drives, insisting that such actions demeaned the dignity of women. The protest leaders underscored the need for swift legal action against all parties involved in the scandal.
