Obscene Video Scandal: Where is Prajwal Revanna?

Bengaluru: Amid ongoing controversy over an alleged sex scandal involving Hassan Member of Parliament (MP) Prajwal Revanna, reports claimed that the JDS leader has left the country and 'fled' to Germany. Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, has been fielded by the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) from the Hassan parliamentary constituency for the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections. He is currently the sitting MP from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency. He has also filed a complaint claiming that 'obscene' videos circulating allegedly showing him engaging in sexual assault are 'doctored'.

Has Prajwal Revanna Left The Country?

Though an official confirmation is awaited, police sources have claimed that the Hassan MP has left India for Germany (Frankfurt) at 3:00 AM on April 27. Revanna was last seen on April 26 in Hassan during Voting. 

What is Prajwal Revanna Accused of?

Several sex videos allegedly featuring him with multiple women have been doing the rounds in recent days. The Congress party has claimed that a pen drive containing pornographic videos suggests that Revanna has sexually assaulted thousands of women and recorded objectionable videos of them. 

A case of sexual harassment and stalking was also registered against Prajwal Revanna in Holenarasipur police station based on a complaint by a cook. The complainant said she is a relative of Revanna’s wife Bhavani. She alleged that four months after she started working, Revanna used to sexually harass her, and his son Prajwal used to make video calls to her daughter and have "vulgar conversations" with her.

She also alleged that there was a threat to her life as well as other members of her family.

Congress Demands His Arrest

Members of the women’s wing of the Congress staged a protest against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna and demanded his immediate arrest. The protesters burnt his posters and sought a thorough inquiry into the case by raising slogans against the 33-year-old, who is the grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. Demanding his immediate arrest, a Congress leader said, "He (Prajwal Revanna) should be given severe punishment and should be hanged for what he has done with these women. It has brought down the honour of the entire state of Karnataka." 

Karnataka Govt Forms SIT

The Karnataka government has announced a Special Investigation Team to probe the "obscene videos case".  "Obscene video clips are circulating in Hassan district, where it appears that women have been sexually assaulted," Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said.

Speaking to reporters, Home Minister G Parameshwara said, “In case he (Prajwal) has gone to the foreign country, SIT will be responsible for bringing him back and continuing the investigation. We will not tell the SIT to do the investigation this or that way.” 

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar said, “....we are hanging our heads in shame." “I saw in the media that he has ‘escaped’. This is an unpardonable crime. It is a matter of shame. He is an MP and the grandson of a former Prime Minister. He represented the same constituency which the former Prime Minister had represented."

How JDS And NDA Partners Reacted? 

"Whether it is me or HD Deve Gowda, we always respect women and whenever they come with complaints, we have tried to resolve their problems. The CM has already ordered an SIT investigation and the SIT investigation has started... The SIT team will bring him back from abroad. That's not my concern", said HD Kumaraswamy

The BJP, on the other hand, distanced itself from Prajwal Revanna amid the controversy.  "We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make on the SIT probe announced by the state government into the alleged sex scandal involving Prajwal Revanna", said S Prakash, the chief spokesperson of BJP's state (Karnataka) unit.