Suspended Janata Dal Secular leader and rape-accused MP Prajwal Revanna – arrested this morning from Bengaluru airport on his return from Germany – has been sent to police custody till June 6.
Revanna was taken into custody from Kempegowda Airport at 12.45 am by a three-member team of female cops. The move to have women arrest Revanna was hailed by ex-Bengaluru top cop-turned-politician K Bhaskar Rao, who called it a “positive sign the strong women in Karnataka’s police force will not only deal with the perpetrator but send a strong message to hundreds of women… “
Following his arrest Revanna was taken to a city hospital for a routine medical check-up, after which he was presented before the court for a remand hearing. The cops had sought custody for 14 days.
The police said they wanted time to examine the mobile phone – from which voice samples will be sent for forensic analysis – and luggage seized at the airport, as well as “incriminating material” gathered from a raid on his home in Hassan. Revanna will be taken to Hassan at a later date.
His lawyers contested the period of custody; they argued one day was more than enough.
On Thursday a special court rejected Revanna’s anticipatory bail request.
Prajwal Revanna Case Recap
Prajwal Revanna had fled to Germany less than a week after the first of several videos of women forced into sex acts made headlines. He left India on a diplomatic passport, courtesy his status as an MP.
Revanna is the outgoing MP from Hassan, a seat that he could win again – this time with support from the JDS’ new ally, the BJP – when results are declared on Tuesday.
The Congress government in Karnataka has been battling to force his return since, accusing the BJP of shielding a rival by delaying requests to cancel Prajwal Revanna’s diplomatic passport.
The centre has hit back at the claim by stating it received a request only on May 21 and had acted within 48 hours, issuing a show-cause notice to Revanna. The reference was to a letter from the investigating police team to the External Affairs Ministry. No mention has been made of two letters that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said he had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office.
The BJP has distanced itself from Revanna. Its state unit boss, S Prakash, said, “We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make…”
Since fleeing to Germany, Revanna has made two public statements.
On Monday Revanna released a video statement on X in which he said, “I apologise to my parents… I was in depression (over political rivals’ attacks on the sex assault charges). I will appear (before the police team) on May 31. I will cooperate to the best of my abilities… I have the blessings of God…”
That was after a ‘warning’ from HD Deve Gowda, his grandfather, JDS patriarch, and former Prime Minister, who told him to return to India and surrender, or “face your family’s anger…”
On April 27 – six days after the allegations surfaced, and a day after voting in Hassan – Revanna boarded a flight to Munich on the back of his diplomatic passport. On the same day, he posted a statement on X; he only said “truth will prevail soon” and made no mention of the charges.
A day later the ruling Congress formed a special police team based on complaints from the state’s Women’s Commission, and the first case was filed. Since then two others have been registered with Revanna as an accused, including one naming his father, HD Revanna, as the main accused.
Charges Against Prajwal Revanna
One case was filed on April 28 in Hassan in which a 47-year-old former maid has alleged sexual assault and exploitation. HD Revanna was arrested in connection with this case as the primary accused, and rape charges were added against his son at a later stage.
The second was registered by the cops on May 1; a 44-year-old woman – who may be a JDS worker – has accused Revanna of raping her multiple times, including at least once at gunpoint.
The third was filed on May 3 and a 60-year-old woman has accused Prajwal Revanna of rape. Prajwal Revanna has denied all charges against him and has claimed a conspiracy by his rivals.