SIT to charge Prajwal with rape as 2nd woman alleges assault

BENGALURU: The alleged sexual harassment and sleaze videos case against former PM HD Deve Gowda’s grandson, Hassan MP

Prajwal Revanna

, took a grave turn on Thursday with another woman alleging she also was sexually assaulted by him.
Based on her statement, the special investigation team (

SIT

) probing the case has been allowed to invoke

rape charges

against him under IPC Section 376.

Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said Prajwal was “able to leave the country only because of the diplomatic passport issued to him by the Centre”. He said CM Siddaramaiah has written to the Centre seeking the immediate revocation of Prajwal’s diplomatic passport.
With this, the noose around Prajwal and his father HD Revanna will tighten as they were earlier charged with bailable offences under IPC Sections 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). Sec 376 is a cognisable and non-bailable offence entailing over 10 years in jail.
Congress politician Rahul Gandhi alleged on Thursday that suspended JD(S) functionary and

Hassan MP

Prajwal Revanna had “raped 400 women” and recorded videos of the assaults. Calling Prajwal a “mass rapist”, he accused PM Modi of endorsing Prajwal by soliciting votes for him in Karnataka.

The first woman who lodged the complaint against Prajwal and his father worked in their household as domestic help. The second woman, who allegedly figured in one of the Prajwal Revanna sleaze videos, appeared before the 32nd additional chief metropolitan magistrate in Bengaluru and recorded her statement under CrPC Sec 164 (statement recorded by a magistrate). Parameshwara, while addressing media in Kalaburagi, said: “At this juncture, the details of the complaint cannot be made public.” The minister assured protection to other victims who voluntarily come forward and lodge complaints retaining to the alleged sex scandal.

Prajwal’s father, H D Revanna, who was a minister in the previous JD(S)-BJP and JD(S)-Congress govts, moved a special court for elected representatives seeking anticipatory bail in the sexual harassment case filed by his former domestic help.
When the court asked Revanna’s attorney why he was not approaching the trial court as the offences are bailable, the latter pointed out that the SIT was invoking IPC Sec 376 against him based on the statement of another woman. The court adjourned the bail plea to Friday.