Pen Drives, Cook, Prajwal Revanna's Former Driver Hold Key to Investigation in Sex Scandal

Bengaluru: The sex video controversy in Karnataka that has brought Janata Dal (Secular) (JDS) MP and NDA candidate for Hassan Lok Sabha seat, Prajwal Revanna, in the spotlight is deepening as the new details, involving his former driver, have emerged in the case.

The driver of Revanna, identified as Karthik, who served his family for years and considered close to the family has made shocking claims. Karthik alleged that Prajwal had forcibly taken away his land and even assaulted him and his wife.

He also revealed that he himself shared the pen drives containing ‘sex videos’ to an advocate and local BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda, seeking justice.

As the investigation into the case picks up pace, the probe team is likely to question several people linked to the Hassan MP, including his friends-turned-foes and political rivals, to establish that the videos are genuine and not morphed, as claimed by the MP. The JDS party on Tuesday suspended Prajwal Revanna.

Gag Order

It is to be noted that the earliest public references to the videos was made by Prajwal himself in 2023 when he moved a Bengaluru civil court on June 1, seeking a gag order to halt the spread of what he claims are "fake news” and doctored videos. He took legal action against 86 media outlets and three private persons to prevent the circulation of hundreds of videos, allegedly featuring him engaging in sexual activities with hundreds of women. The court granted a gag order on June 2, 2023. 

Among the 89 defendants named in the suit were three private persons, including his former driver who had quit the service of the Revanna family in March 2023 after working for nearly seven years.

It is speculated that the driver, who had access to Prajwal’s phones and electronic devices, fell out with the MP in 2023 and began threatening him over the videos.

He alleged that after he denied handing over his 13 acres of land to the Revannas, he and his wife were even kidnapped by Prajwal and his mother in December 2023 following which he filed a police complaint.

Second major public reference

This video matter was again in news in January 2024, after G Devaraje Gowda filed a plea in Karnataka High Court seeking his disqualification as an MP. However, the High Court ruled in Gowda’s favour, the order was stayed by the Supreme Court.

Devaraje was BJP candidate for election to Holenarasipura assembly seat who lost to Prajwal’s father, HD Revanna.

Meanwhile, Devaraje had claimed he got access to the videos after he began representing Prajwal’s former driver in a case filed against the Revannas in December 2023.

In December 2023, Devaraje even wrote a letter addressed to Union Home Minister Amit Shah allegeing Prajwal’s wrong doings and his involvement in sex video featuring him with several women in compromised positions.

Distribution of Pen Drives

According to sources, the pen drives containing these videos were distributed in several areas ahead of the second phase of Lok Sabha polls, held on April 26. The pen drives were said to have nearly 3,000 videos, allegedly recorded by the MP himself.

When the matter came to light, chairperson of the state women’s commission, Nagalakshmi Chaudhury, took cognizance and wrote to the state government, demanding a probe.

“In Hassan, pen drives are being distributed containing obscene videos of women. It is now circulating on social media. This is most distressing and there are hundreds of women in the videos. The women’s commission has also received a pen drive and there is a complaint as well,” the chairperson said last week. Soon after, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah ordered a SIT probe into the matter.

House Help

The matter intensified following a complaint by a house help at Revanna house, who claimed that both HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna used to sexually assault women workers.

“Whenever (HD) Revanna’s wife wasn’t there, he used to call the women to the storeroom and offer them fruits while touching them inappropriately. He used to remove saree pins and sexually assault women,” the complainant alleged.  “Whenever Prajwal Revanna returned home, anxiety permeated the household among the six female staff members. Even male colleagues advised us to be careful”, the FIR registered by the woman complainant said. The victim claimed that Prajwal also behaved inappropriately with her daughter during a video call. "My daughter blocked his number after repeated calls," the complainant said.

Meanwhile, as Prajwal went abroad amid the boiling controversy, his father defending him said that it was Prajwal's pre-planned tour and that will face the probe.