Prajwal Revanna Case Takes Centrestage On Last Voting Day In Karnataka As BJP Targets Congress

Karnataka BJP chief BY Vijayendra accused the Congress of not taking action to prevent Revanna from leaving the country.

Earlier, a woman who had been employed in the Revanna household filed a sexual abuse complaint against the MP and his MLA father, H.D. Revanna.  ( Image Source :Facebook/PrajwalRevanna )

BJP leaders sought to highlight the sexual harassment allegations against MP Prajwal Revanna on Tuesday as the last leg of polling for the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka kicked off. While Karnataka BJP chief B.Y. Vijayendra accused the Congress of not taking action to prevent Revanna from leaving the country, Union Minister Pralhad Joshi urged the state government to act swiftly in the matter. 

Revanna, the grandson of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda, is the incumbent MP for Karnataka’s Hassan and is seeking re-election. However, he has been suspended by his party – BJP ally Janata Dal (Secular) – in light of the allegations against him.

“We have already condemned this act. BJP never supports this kind of attitude, this kind of activity,” Vijayendra said about the case Tuesday. “But the manner in which the Congress party is using it… had the Congress party wished, they could have stopped Prajwal Revanna from leaving the country. But Congress didn’t do it.”

The Congress, he added, was “waiting for the timing”. “The Congress wants to politicise it… That is very annoying,” he said. After casting his vote, Union Minister and BJP candidate from Dharwad, Pralhad Joshi, said this is a serious case. 

#WATCH | Hubbali, Karnataka: Union Minister and BJP candidate from Dharwad, Pralhad Joshi speaks on 'obscene videos' case involving JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna.

He says, "...It is a very serious case. We urge the state government because they have failed in detaining him. Even… pic.twitter.com/RttyEs4o04

— ANI (@ANI) May 7, 2024

“The state government… failed in detaining him. Even though the clips came out well in advance, they waited for the Gowda belt to vote… and then they allowed him to go outside [the country]. Had they filed the FIR and informed the central government, we would have detained him. But they did not do it,” he added.

Prajwal Revanna Sex Scandal

Last month, explicit video clips purportedly showing Revanna sexually abusing women surfaced. Around 3,000 such clips are reportedly in circulation.

Later, a woman who had been employed in the Revanna household filed a sexual abuse complaint against the MP and his MLA father, H.D. Revanna. 

Two FIRs have been filed against Prajwal Revanna in connection with the allegations. The MP has denied the allegations and filed a police complaint of his own alleging the clips are doctored. 

Prajwal Revanna left the country after the allegations emerged, and is reportedly in Germany as of now.

The case is currently being investigated by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up by the Karnataka government. The SIT on Saturday arrested H.D. Revanna in connection with an alleged abduction linked to the abuse allegations.

The CBI has issued a Blue Corner Notice – or an ‘enquiry notice’ – with regard to Prajwal Revanna. The notice is issued in order to “collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation”.