Karnataka Sexual Abuse Case: JD(S) MLA HD Revanna Arrested in Kidnapping Case

Bengaluru, 05 May 2024: In a dramatic turn of events, Karnataka JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, a former minister and son of JD(S) supremo and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, was arrested by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Saturday in connection with a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against his son, Prajwal Revanna.

The arrest came shortly after a court in Bengaluru dismissed Revanna’s anticipatory bail plea, and he was apprehended from his father’s residence in Padmanabhanagar and brought to the SIT office.

The case against Revanna and his confidant Sathish Babanna was registered in Mysuru on Thursday night for allegedly abducting a woman. Babanna had already been arrested in connection with the case.

Police sources revealed that the woman was reportedly abducted to prevent her from testifying against Prajwal Revanna, who is contesting for the BJP-JD(S) alliance from the Hassan Lok Sabha seat. The abducted woman was later rescued from a farmhouse allegedly linked to Revanna’s aide in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district.

Revanna faces charges under Section 364(a), 365, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code, including kidnapping for ransom and abducting with intent to confine a person. After a medical examination at Bowring Hospital, Revanna was returned to the SIT office and is expected to be produced before a magistrate on Sunday morning.

Earlier attempts by Revanna to secure anticipatory bail were unsuccessful, with the Special Court for Elected Representatives dismissing his plea.

This arrest comes in the wake of two FIRs being registered against H D Revanna. The first case was registered against him and his son Prajwal Revanna for alleged sexual harassment at the Holenarsipura police station in Hassan district last Sunday, based on a complaint by a woman who worked in the Revannas’ house.

Explicit video clips allegedly involving the 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna had started circulating in Hassan in recent days, prompting the state government to constitute an SIT to probe the alleged sexual abuse allegations against the MP. The SIT also conducted an on-site investigation at Revanna’s residence in Holenaraspur, located in Hassan district, where a victim and her mother accompanied the team, claiming that the MP allegedly recorded the videos.

The arrest of HD Revanna has sent shockwaves through the political circles of Karnataka, adding another layer of complexity to the already convoluted case involving allegations of sexual abuse and kidnapping.