‘Petty politics’ further delays Surathkal-Kana-MRPL Road work

Bengaluru, May 14: JD(S) leader HD Revanna has been released from Parappana Agrahara Jail today, on May 14 after he was granted conditional bail. 

He was granted a conditional bail yesterday by a Bengaluru court in connection with a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegation against him and his son Prajwal.

Revanna was arrested on May 4 by Special Investigative Team (SIT) officials in a kidnapping case registered against him at KR Nagar police station in the city. The case is linked to his son and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna’s mega sex scam. 

Representing the JD(S) MLA from Holenarsipura, he termed this case a "political conspiracy" against him.

A SIT, constituted by the Karnataka government, is probing the alleged sexual abuse against against HD Revanna and his son Prajwal Revanna.

Prajwal Revanna, the incumbent MP, is seeking another term from Hassan Lok Sabha constituency. The voting for the seat took place on April 26.

Earlier, JD (S) chief HD Kumaraswamy alleged that Karnataka government does not want a fair inquiry.

"They are misusing the office. Nothing is going to happen ultimately. They wanted character assassination of HD Revanna and for that reason, they are using their office," Kumaraswamy told ANI.

Meeting Karnataka Governor Tawara Chanda Gehlot on May 9, a delegation of the Janata Dal (Secular) submitted a memorandum and urged Gehlot to recommend a CBI probe.

Prajwal sill absconding

The JD(S) MP, Prajwal, fled to Germany after Karnataka State Commission for Women Nagalakshmi Chowdhary wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah seeking an investigation into over obscene videos of Prajwal Revanna allegedly sexually abusing several women. He has also skipped summons issued by the SIT to appear before it.

The ‘obscene videos’ involving Prajwal Revanna started making the rounds ahead of the first phase of Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka on April 26, triggering a political slugfest.

A lookout notice against Prajwal Revanna has been issued at all airports in India, along with a Blue Corner notice. A Blue Corner notice issued by Interpol helps countries collect and share information regarding a person's location and their activities as part of a criminal investigation.

Bengaluru, May 18: JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, who turned 92 on Saturday, broke his silence on the sexual abuse charges leveled against his grandson and MP Prajwal Revanna. He stated that he has no objection to the action taken against him if found guilty. However, he mentioned that the cases against his son, JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual harassment and kidnapping of a woman, were 'created'. He refrained from further commenting as the matter is sub judice.

Recently, Gowda announced his decision not to celebrate his birthday and requested well-wishers and party workers to wish him from wherever they are.

"... I don't want to comment on things that are going on in the court regarding Revanna. Prajwal Revanna has gone abroad. Regarding that, Kumaraswamy (Gowda's other son and state JD(S) chief) has, on behalf of our family, said it is the duty of the government to take action in accordance with the law of the land," Gowda said.

Addressing reporters, the former PM said, "There are several people connected to these sexual abuse cases. I don't want to mention anyone's names. Kumaraswamy has stated that those involved in this matter should face action, and the affected women should get justice and compensation."

"There is no objection from us to taking action against Prajwal. But people have come to know the facts about the allegations made against Revanna, how the case has been created. In one case, he has been granted bail, and in another case, the judgment is expected day after tomorrow... I don't want to comment on it," he said, concurring with Kumaraswamy's statement that if found guilty, no one should be spared.

Prajwal (33) is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The scandal has sparked a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.

Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against him in an effort to bring him back.

He was the BJP-JD(S) alliance's joint candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls on April 26.

Meanwhile, Gowda's 66-year-old son, Revanna, a former Minister, has been granted interim anticipatory bail from a court here in a sexual harassment case in which his son Prajwal is also an accused.

Asked whether there was a conspiracy to defame and politically scuttle his family, Gowda said, "It is true... considering all that has happened, several people are involved. I won't mention names. Kumaraswamy will address what action needs to be taken."

Responding to a query on BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda's allegations that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is behind the circulation of a pen drive containing explicit videos involving Prajwal Revanna, Gowda said Kumaraswamy will respond to all of this.

"We have seen in the media what Devaraje Gowda has said. Kumaraswamy, as the party's state President, has been actively responding to all this. He will speak. I won't at this point. I had campaigned for the Lok Sabha polls. On June 4, after the Lok Sabha poll results are announced, I will meet with you (media)," he added.

Gowda also appealed to media persons campaigning near his house to end it. "I also appeal to your owners."

Bengaluru, May 5: In a major development, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the sex video scandal involving JD-S MP Prajwal Revann on Saturday arrested his father and JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna following the rejection of his anticipatory bail plea in a victim kidnapping case by the People’s Representative Court in Bengaluru.

H.D. Revanna was taken into custody from the residence of his father and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda in Bengaluru’s Padmanabhanagar locality.

First, he was taken to the SIT office on the premises of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID). After preliminary questioning, the former JD-S minister was taken to the Bowring Hospital for a medical check-up.

Sources said he will be produced before the magistrate at the latter's residence later.

Commenting on the development, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah told mediapersons that he won’t interfere in the matter.

“Action should be initiated as per the law,” he said.

Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said, “We will not interfere in anything related to this matter. Let them get protection from the court under the law."

Shivakumar also said that let the proceedings follow the manner suggested by former CM H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Quoting a Kannada proverb, Kumaraswamy had said that those who commit crime must be punished.

The SIT officers reached the former PM’s residence soon after the court turned down his anticipatory bail plea in a case related to the kidnapping of a woman who was allegedly sexually assaulted by his son Prajwal Revanna, the sources said.

Earlier on Saturday, the SIT traced the kidnapped woman to the farmhouse of Rajashekar, the personal assistant (PA) to H.D. Revanna, at Kalenahalli village in Mysuru district.

In the court, Special Public Prosecutor B.N. Jagadish submitted that the case is about saving the life of a poor woman.

Jagadish argued that H.D. Revanna did not turn up before the authorities even after being served three notices.

Senior counsel Muthy D. Naik, appearing for H.D. Revanna, argued that the only allegation against his client is a statement that he had called the victim to his residence.

Barring this, there is nothing to prove the role of H.D. Revanna in this case, he argued, adding that the statement was made by an accused in the case, with whom his client has no connections.

He also claimed that the SIT has deliberately added IPC Section 364A, which attracts life imprisonment and capital punishment, to ensure that his client’s bail plea is rejected.

The other IPC Sections invoked in the case — 363 and 365 — attract imprisonment of less than seven years. Therefore, to prove the innocence of H.D. Revanna, he should be granted bail, Naik submitted.

Meanwhile, the woman, who had gone missing on April 29, was found locked up in the farmhouse when the SIT officers reached there following a tip-off.

Sources said Rajashekar is absconding ever since the SIT traced the missing woman to his farmhouse.

The woman is being brought to Bengaluru where her statement will be recorded.

On Friday, Karnataka Police registered an FIR against H.D. Revanna in connection with the kidnapping of the woman, believed to be one of the victims of the sex video scandal involving his son Prajwal Revanna.

The woman’s son had registered a kidnap case naming H.D. Revanna as the prime accused in the case.

His relative Satish Babu was named as the second accused in the FIR, whom the police arrested from Mysuru district on Friday.

The woman’s son alleged that his mother went missing after the surfacing of a purported sex video in which Prajwal Revanna could be seen sexually assaulting her.

He also alleged that his mother was locked up in an undisclosed location, as he pleaded with the police to initiate legal action against H.D. Revanna and Satish Babu.

Prajwal Revanna, the sitting JD-S MP from Hassan, has reportedly fled from the country.