Prajwal Revanna, the suspended JD(S) MP facing sexual abuse allegations, was arrested on Friday upon his return from Germany, a month after he left the country in the wake of explicit videos of his alleged actions doing the rounds in Karnataka’s Hassan.
A special court in the city remanded him to police custody till June 6. In a clear messaging early in the day, a team of women police personnel ‘welcomed’ Prajwal Revanna upon his arrival here, as they were deputed to execute a warrant and take him to the CID office for interrogation.
After evading summons and staying out of the country for a little over a month, the 33 year-old grandson of Janata Dal (Secular) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda landed here past midnight from Germany’s Munich, only to be arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) minutes later and whisked away for questioning.
He was later produced before the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate KN Shivakumar, who heard the remand application and objection argument from Prajwal’s advocate. He later remanded Prajwal to police custody.
The National Democratic Alliance Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was arrested after completing the due process, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said.
Prajwal’s advocate Arun G said the former was extending full cooperation to the SIT probe and cautioned against any media trial in the case.
“Prajwal Revanna landed around 12.40-12:50 am from Germany’s Munich. As there was an arrest warrant against him, SIT accordingly arrested him and took him into custody,” Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, “...naturally he should have cooperated to the arrest. His immigration papers were cleared and he was brought out (of airport). As he had a diplomatic passport, things happened easily. After completing all the due process, he was arrested,” he added.
The SIT is also contemplating a potency test on Prajwal. A potency test is done to ascertain if a rape accused is capable of committing sexual assault on victims.
Prajwal has been so far booked in three cases of sexual assault. There are also charges of rape against him.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has served a show-cause notice to Prajwal, asking him why his diplomatic passport should not be cancelled as sought by the Karnataka government in view of allegations of sexual abuse against him.
Deve Gowda had recently issued a ‘stern warning’ to Prajwal, asking him to return to the country and face probe into the sexual abuse allegations, while asserting there will be no interference from him or other family members into the enquiry.
The JD(S) supremo had reiterated that his grandson should be given the harshest punishment under the law “if found guilty”.
Prajwal’s uncle and former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy too had repeatedly appealed to his nephew to return to the country from abroad and face the probe.
JD(S) has suspended Revanna from the party following the allegations.
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