A special court in Bengaluru remanded Prajwal Revanna in police custody till June 6, PTI reported. Prajwal Revanna was arrested on Friday upon his return from Germany.
The suspended JD(S) MP returned a month after leaving the country following explicit videos of his alleged actions circulating around Hassan in Karnataka.
After evading summons and staying out of the country for just over a month, the 33-year-old grandson of JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda landed here after midnight from Munich, Germany, only to be arrested for Minutes later, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) took him away for questioning.
According to the PTI report, a team of women police officers “welcomed” Prajwal Revanna on his arrival in Bengaluru as they were tasked with executing a court order and taking him to the CID office for questioning.
Revanna was later produced before 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate KN Shivakumar, who heard the remand application and objection argument by Prajwal’s lawyer. He subsequently took Prajwal into police custody.
The NDA Lok Sabha candidate from Hassan, who is facing allegations of sexual abuse by several women, was arrested after completing due process, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said.
Prajwal’s advocate Arun G said the former was fully cooperating with the SIT investigation and warned against any media trial in the case.
“Prajwal Revanna landed around 00:40-00:50 from Munich, Germany. As there was an arrest warrant against him, the SIT arrested him and took him into custody,” Parameshwara said.
Speaking to reporters, he said: “…naturally he should have cooperated with the arrest. His immigration documents were taken and he was taken away (from the airport). Since he had a diplomatic passport, things happened easily. After completing all the due process procedures, he was detained,” he added.
When asked if the government will ask more victims to come forward after his arrest, Parameshwara said, “We have already told those who have faced problems with him to come forward and lodge complaints with the SIT and the police, and we will provide them with all kind of help.” of protection. We will have to wait and see further developments.”
The SIT, sending a message, appointed an all-women police team to execute the order against Prajwal, according to the PTI report.
During the arrest warrant execution procedure, he was flanked by women police officers led by two IPS officers, Suman D Pennekar and Seema Latkar. Then they took him in a jeep in which only female police officers were present. They took him to the CID office.
“It was a conscious call to send women officers to arrest Prajwal, sending home the message that the JD(S) leader exploited his seat and power as an MP with women. The same women have the authority to arrest him through all means Legal procedures”. said an SIT source.
There was also a symbolic message to the alleged victims that the female officers were not afraid of anyone, the source added.
The deputy was later taken for a medical examination under strict security measures. Escorted by policewomen, he was taken to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital.
The SIT is also contemplating conducting a potency test on Prajwal. A potency test is performed to determine whether a rape accused is capable of committing sexual assault on victims.
Meanwhile, Prajwal’s lawyer met him earlier.
“I went to talk to him. He told the media that he had come forward to cooperate with the investigation. Therefore, he requested that there be no media trial. No negative campaigning unnecessarily,” Arun said.
He told reporters that MP Hassan is before the SIT to provide maximum cooperation.
“Prajwal said: I have taken a step forward, the only purpose of coming to Bengaluru or before SIT is that I have to live up to my words. I have taken a step forward. I will offer maximum cooperation; these are his words.” he added.
Prajwal had on May 29 filed an anticipatory bail plea before the Principal Municipal and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives, which issued a notice to the SIT to file objections before fixing the hearing for Friday.
In the first case registered against him at the Holenarasipura town police station in Hassan on April 28, Prajwal is accused of sexually harassing a 47-year-old former maid. He is listed as accused number two, while his father and Holenarasipura MLA, HD Revanna, is the main accused.
Prajwal has so far been accused of three cases of sexual assault. There are also rape charges against him.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a show-cause notice to Prajwal, asking him why his diplomatic passport should not be canceled as claimed by the Karnataka government, in view of the sexual abuse allegations against him.
Deve Gowda had recently issued a “stern warning” to Prajwal, asking him to return to the country and face an investigation into the sexual abuse allegations, while stating that there would be no interference from him or other members of his family. on the research.
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 had also repeatedly asked his nephew to return to the country from abroad and face the probe.
JD(S) suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party following the allegations.