Bengaluru: Bengaluru’s 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate on Friday remanded rape accused Prajwal Revanna, a JD(S) MP, to the custody of a special investigation team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), which is investigating charges of rape, series of exploitation of women among others against him.
Prajwal Revanna, 33, grandson of former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, will remain in SIT custody till June 6 and he has been permitted to meet advocates representing the case daily for an hour.
In a clear message, a team of women police personnel executed the warrant and took Prajwal to the CID office for interrogation. The team was led by two IPS officers, Suman D. Pennekar and Seema Latkar, and taken in a jeep in which only women police were present.
After evading summons and staying out of the country for a little over a month, Prajwal landed at the Kempegowda International Airport (KIAL) at Devanahalli near Bengaluru after travelling from Munich, Germany. He had fled the country on April 27 after allegations of his alleged involvement in rape and sexual exploitation of hundreds of women surfaced. Some videos were circulated in the public domain on mobile phones.
Prajwal was arrested after completing the due process, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said. Asked if the government would appeal to more victims to come forward following Prajwal’s arrest, Parameshwara said, “We have already said, those who have faced trouble from him to come forward and give complaints to SIT and police, and we will provide them all kind of protection. We will have to wait and see further developments.”
Arun G., an advocate representing Prajwal, told reporters that the arrest of the MP was over a complaint lodged by a woman in Holenarsipura Town police station in Hassan district.
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.
The advocate said the arrest of Prajwal had been done as per the standard operating procedure (SOP) by the SIT. On his arrival, Prajwal was detained by officials of the immigration centre and later handed him over to the SIT.
“I met Prajwal who is in SIT custody. He has assured to cooperate with the SIT in the investigation,” said the advocate.
Earlier, in the day the SIT took Prajwal to the Bowing Hospital in Bengaluru where he was examined by doctors before he was produced before the court.
