Sex Tapes Case: SIT Interrogates Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna

Suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was interrogated after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested him as soon as he landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Friday. The 33-year-old MP, who arrived from Munich, was taken to the CID office for interrogation, sources in the SIT said.

The SIT will produce him before the Special Court and is likely to seek police custody to further interrogate him. Security was tightened at the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital here in view of Prajwal's arrival for various medical tests including blood pressure, blood sugar level and cardiac health. The SIT is also contemplating a potency test on Prajwal in due course of time, sources said. A potency test is done to ascertain that a rape accused is capable of committing sexual assault on victims.

The Special Court for Public Representatives will also hear the bail plea of Prajwal and his mother Bhavani Revanna on Friday. Speaking about Prajwal's arrest and subsequent follow-up action by the police, state Home Minister G Parameshwara said, "Prajwal Revanna landed around 12.40 am to 12:50 am from Germany's Munich, as there was an arrest warrant against him. The SIT accordingly arrested him and took him into custody. They will follow further legal procedures." Before reaching Bengaluru from Munich, the Hassan MP had made a last attempt to avoid arrest and had moved the court seeking bail.

Prajwal faces three sexual abuse cases, while his mother has sought anticipatory bail in an alleged kidnapping case. Though Bhavani is not an accused in the case, SIT has reportedly desired to investigate her role. In the same case, Bhavani's husband and Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, who is former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son, was arrested and later released on bail. He is also an accused of sexually harassing the cook of his house, who was also sexually abused by his son Prajwal. The 33-year-old Prajwal, grandson of Deve Gowda and the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of sexually abusing many women.

He has been so far booked in three cases of sexual assault. He had left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts was issued by the Interpol earlier, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The MP, terming the cases against him as false and alleging political conspiracy, had said in a video statement issued earlier this week that he had gone into depression.

He had also filed an anticipatory bail plea at the Principal City and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives on May 29, which issued a notice to the SIT to file objections, before posting the hearing for Friday.

The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest. While the Congress government has formed a SIT to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S), NDA partners, have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI, and action be taken against those behind the wide circulation of explicit videos. The cases of sexual abuse came to light after a number of pen drives allegedly containing explicit videos involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.

Deve Gowda had recently issued a 'stern warning' to Prajwal, asking him to return to the country and face probe into the sexual abuse allegations, while asserting there will be no interference from him or other family members into the enquiry. The JD(S) supremo had reiterated that his grandson should be given the harshest punishment under the law "if found guilty". Prajwal's uncle and former Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy too had repeatedly appealed to his nephew to return to the country from abroad and face the probe. JD(S) has suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party following the allegations.