Prajwal Revanna is back in India, arrested in alleged cases of sex crime from airport

Hours before the final phase of Lok Sabha election on June 1, Hassan outgoing MP and JD(S) contesting candidate Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing several women, was arrested by the Karnataka Special Investigation Team (SIT) early on Friday morning. The arrest happened as soon as Revanna returned to India, after escaping from the country on his diplomatic passport on April 27. The SIT team was waiting at the Bengaluru airport and Revanna was arrested at around 12.30 am, as soon his Lufthansa flight from Munich landed. He was taken to the CID office straight from the airport for the interrogation. Revanna will be produced before the court on Friday.  

Soon after the first phase of polling, multiple videos of Revanna emerged where the grandson of former Prime Minister and JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda could be seen allegedly sexually exploiting multiple women. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had campaigned for Revanna days before the videos surfaced, JDS is an ally of BJP in the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The shocking videos led to public outcry and also a political showdown, with the ruling Congress in Karnataka accused the BJP of allying with “a rapist”. 

Timeline 

April 20: Videos of alleged sex crimes of Revanna emerged. Chorus grew for his arrest. 

April 22: BJP distanced themselves from Revanna and the alleged crimes, claiming the party doesn’t “tolerate or endorse such acts against the modesty of women” 

April 27: Prajwal Revanna left India for Germany on his diplomatic passport, a day after Hassan went to polling. His escape had led to political blame game between the congress government of Siddaramaiah in Karnataka and the BJP at the Centre. Congress alleged that BJP assisted him to escape on his diplomatic passport, while BJP blamed Congress on sitting on the alleged sex tapes for political advantage ahead of elections. 

MEA later clarified that Revanna allegedly didn’t seek political clearance to leave for Germany on his diplomatic passport. 

On May 4, Prajwal’s father and also a former JDS MLA HD Revanna was arrested by police from the house of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s in Padmanabha Nagar, on charges of abducting a woman who accused the father-son duo. He was later granted bail by the court. 

Karnataka government had written to the Centre to revoke the diplomatic passport of Revanna 

On May 7 Interpol issued a Blue Corner notice, requesting police in member nations to collect information about him, his location, and/or activities in relation to a criminal inquiry.

The warrant against Prajwal Revanna was issued May 18.

As political storm escalated, HD Deve Gowda on may 23 issued an open letter asking Revanna to surrender “immediately or face the anger of the family”

Revanna had released a video on Monday seeking apology from his parents, claiming he had slipped into depression after the case and had thus fled to Germany. He called the allegations a conspiracy. 

Three cases - 

First case was filed on April 28, a day after Revanna escaped for Germany, by a 47-year-old former maid who had alleged sexual assault and exploitation. 

The second was registered by the cops on May 1 after a 44-year-old woman accused Prajwal Revanna of raping her multiple times, once even at gunpoint.

The third was filed on May 3 when a 60-year-old woman came forward and accused Prajwal Revanna of raping her.

More than 2500 videos of Revanna have been recovered from a pen drive.