Obscene Videos Case: Prajwal Revanna Suspended From JD(S) Till Investigation Is Completed

The Janata Dal (Secular) on Tuesday has resolved to suspend Prajwal Revanna, the MP for Hassan in Karnataka and the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, following accusations of sexual harassment of women.

"We support the SIT inquiry into Prajwal Revanna. We have decided to propose to our party's national president to suspend him from the party until the SIT investigation concludes," stated GT Deve Gowda, president of the JD(S) core committee.

"His (Prajwal Revanna) suspension is till the investigation is completed," said former Karnataka CM and JD(S) leader HD Kumaraswamy.

Prajwal, 33, is the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate for the Hassan constituency, which went to polls on April 26, during the second phase of the Lok Sabha elections.

Meanwhile, distressing media reports detailing multiple instances of alleged sexual abuse involving Prajwal Revanna, the sitting Member of Parliament representing the Lok Sabha from the Hassan constituency, have been brought to the attention of the National Commission for Women (NCW).

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

Explicit video clips purportedly featuring Prajwal Revanna have recently surfaced in Hassan. An FIR alleging sexual harassment has been filed against Prajwal Revanna and his father, H. D. Revanna, an MLA from Holenarasipur, based on a complaint by a woman who worked at Revanna's residence.

The complainant stated that she decided to speak out after watching videos of other victims recounting their experiences. According to her, Prajwal Revanna started summoning her to his quarters in the fourth month of her employment. She mentioned that in a household with six female staff members, fear loomed whenever Prajwal Revanna returned home, and even male colleagues advised caution.

The woman has accused HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna of sexually assaulting female workers in their homes. She alleged that when HD Revanna's wife was absent, he would call women to the storeroom, touch them while offering fruits, and sexually assault them by removing their saree pins. Additionally, the complainant claimed that Prajwal Revanna misbehaved with her daughter during a video call, prompting her daughter to block his number. The case has been registered under various sections of the IPC, including 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman).

Prajwal Revanna is reported to have left the country for Germany. Home Minister G. Parameshwara stated that if Prajwal has indeed left for a foreign country, the SIT will be responsible for his return and continuing the investigation.

Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar expressed shame over the incident, emphasizing that it is unacceptable for an MP and the grandson of a former Prime Minister to be involved in such a crime. He noted that Prajwal Revanna, who represented the same constituency as his grandfather, was again fielded by the JD(S), part of the BJP-led NDA, in the recent polls in Hassan.