Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) president H D Deve Gowda, finds himself embroiled in a intercourse tapes scandal in Karnataka. Hundreds of pen drives allegedly having his sexual assault movies have been circulated in Hassan, the Lok Sabha constituency from the place he was the Bharatiya Janata Occasion (BJP)-JD (S) candidate. Though he claimed that the movies have been doctored, he left for Frankfurt on the day the Karnataka Police constituted a particular investigation crew (SIT) to probe sexual assault costs towards him. Right here’s a low down on the case and its political implications:
Who’s Prajwal Revanna?
Prajwal Revanna is sitting member of Lok Sabha from Hassan in Karnartaka and is grandson of former prime minister and Janata Dal (Secular) patriarch H D Deve Gowda. He was the one JD (S) chief to win in 2019 Lok Sabha polls from Hassan, a household political borough. Prajwal’s father HD Revanna, eldest son of Deve Gowda, was minister within the cupboard led by his youthful brother H D Kumaraswamy, who headed the Congress-JD (S) alliance authorities, in 2018-19. Prajwal graduated as a mechanical engineer from Bangalore Institute of Expertise in 2014 and was appointed JD (S) state common secretary in November 2019.
What’s the intercourse tape controversy involving him?
Throughout the marketing campaign for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, 1000’s of movies have been circulated among the many voters purportedly having intercourse tapes of Prajwal with a number of girls. Many of the tapes have been allegedly recorded by Prajwal on his cell phone, which was then transferred to his laptop computer. Many of the tapes are mentioned to be shot in his home and workplace. Initially, the Gowda household and the BJP termed the tapes as doctored to malign the picture of the household in elections however later, HD Kumaraswamy distanced himself from the tapes saying the police was investigating the case.
What’s the complete variety of movies?
As per the Karnataka police, a pen drive circulated amongst individuals in Hassan had 2,976 movies, some with a period of some seconds and a few with a couple of minutes. A preliminary investigation confirmed that a lot of the movies have been shot from a cell phone in a storeroom at their residence in Bengaluru and Hassan after 2019. Police have despatched a number of the pen drives for forensic examination to confirm their authenticity.
Have police circumstances been registered towards Prajwal?
On Saturday, a criticism was filed by a lady working in his Hassan residence, alleging that he and his father, JD (S) MLA from Holenarasipur, H D Revanna, had sexually abused her a number of instances between 2019 and 2022. The complainant alleged that within the fourth month of her employment in 2019, Revanna began summoning her to his home. “At any time when (HD) Revanna’s spouse wasn’t there, he used to name the ladies to the storeroom and contact them whereas giving them fruits. He used to take away saree pins and sexually assault girls,” she added. Primarily based on the criticism, police registered a case beneath sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (legal intimidation), and 509 (outraging modesty of a lady).
On Wednesday, Poornachandra Tejaswi MG, election agent of Revanna lodged a police criticism towards one Naveen Gowda accusing him of circulating the movies to defame Revanna. “Naveen Gowda and others altered movies and pictures and circulated them to voters within the Hassan Lok Sabha section utilizing pen drives, CDs, and WhatsApp, aiming to tarnish Prajwal Revanna’s popularity and dissuade individuals from voting for him,” the criticism mentioned. Prajwal had bought an injunction from the courtroom towards circulation of the movies.
On Saturday, chief minister Siddaramaiah constituted a particular investigation crew (SIT) to probe costs towards Prajwal. “There are experiences of obscene video clips circulating in Hassan district, suggesting attainable situations of sexual assault towards girls,” the chief minister’s workplace (CMO) mentioned in a press release asserting the structure of the SIT. Officers mentioned the SIT has already recorded assertion of the girl, who has lodged the criticism.
The place is Prajwal?
Based on a press release issued by Karnataka chief minister’s workplace, Prajwal on Saturday morning boarded a flight to Frankfurt in Germany. The declare was not denied by the Gowda household. H D Kumaraswamy mentioned the SIT will convey his nephew again and examine.
What might be the political ramifications for Karnataka polls?
The Congress has tried to profit from the controversy claiming that the BJP was conscious of the movies in December earlier than forming an alliance with the JD (S). BJP MLA Pritam Gowda and senior get together chief Devaraje Gowda of Hassan on Monday claimed that they’d knowledgeable state get together president B Y Vijayendra concerning the movies in December itself however regardless of that the get together went forward and had an alliance with the JD (S).
Statistically, the movies might not have main affect for the BJP as a lot of the Vokkaliga dominant areas in south Karnataka, the place the JD (S) has affect, have gone to vote within the first part. The second part of polling in Karnataka on Might 7 is within the northern components of the state, the place the JD (S) has no affect. Within the 2023 meeting elections, the JD (S) gained solely 2 of its 19 seats outdoors south Karnataka and people have been reserved seats of Devadurga in Raichur, and Shivamogga (rural) in Shivamogga district. Political consultants mentioned the controversy is a significant blow to the BJP within the notion battle though the get together has distanced itself from the controversy.
Throughout the JD (S) the decision to sack Prajwal and his father is gaining traction. Senior JD(S) MLA Sharan Gouda Kandkur articulated the unease throughout the JD(S) and wrote to nationwide president HD Deve Gowda to “expel” his grandson from the get together instantly. Kumaraswamy has additionally distanced himself from the nephew.