Suraj Revanna, Accused of Sexually Assaulting a Man, Sent to 14-Day Judicial Custody

Bengaluru: JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna, on Sunday, was sent to 14-day judicial custody in a sexual assault case by a worker of his party. The case registered in Hassan District Holenarasipura Rural Police Station under sections 377, 342, 506, and 34 IPC was transferred to CID for further investigation on Sunday, following which Suraj was shifted to Bengaluru from Hassan, and produced before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (ACMM) judge, at his residence.

Revanna, the brother of former MP Prajwal Revanna who is facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was arrested on Sunday on charges of 'unnatural offences' against him, police sources said. He was booked on Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing a party worker a few days ago and has been booked under different sections of the IPC, including "unnatural offences." Suraj was questioned at Bengaluru's CEN police station overnight before he was arrested this morning, the sources said, adding that he was later taken to Hassan Institute of Medical Sciences (HIMS) for medical examination.

A 27-year-old man had complained to the police that Revanna, the eldest son of Holenarasipura MLA and former Karnataka Minister HD Revanna, sexually abused him at his farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16. Based on the complaint, the Holenarasipura police registered a case against the JD(S) MLC under IPC sections 377 (unnatural offences), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation) late on Saturday evening. However, the 37-year-old grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and the nephew of Union Minister HD Kumaraswamy has categorically refuted the charge. Suraj had also alleged the man had filed a false complaint against him in a bid to extort Rs 5 crore from him. On Friday, police registered a case of extortion against the JD(S) worker on a complaint by Suraj Revanna's close aide Shivakumar. 

Shivakumar had alleged that the party worker was trying to extort money from Suraj Revanna by threatening to lodge a false case of sexual assault against him. It has been alleged that while the man demanded Rs 5 crore from Suraj Revanna, later it was reduced to Rs 2 crore. 

HD Revanna on Sunday termed the allegations against his son and MLC Suraj Revanna of sexually abusing a male party worker as a "conspiracy" and said he has faith in God and the judiciary.

Not wanting to react to anything, he said when the time comes he will tell everything. Suraj's brother and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna is in police custody for allegedly sexually assaulting several women and was arrested upon his return from Germany last month. Prajwal, who lost from Hassan Lok Sabha seat, was arrested on May 31 soon after returning from Germany where he was holed up after rape and intimidation cases were registered against him. Their father HD Revanna and mother Bhavani are out on bail. They have been accused of kidnapping and keeping an alleged victim of their son Prajwal's sexual assaults. (with PTI inputs)