'Sex scandal' row: Karnataka SIT issues lookout notice against JD(S) leader H D Revanna

PTI

Bengaluru, May 4

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said a lookout notice has been issued by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) against Holenarasipur JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who is facing sexual abuse allegations along with son and MP Prajwal Revanna, with two FIRs registered against him.

He also said, Revanna, a former minister, who has been served a second notice (summons), has time till this evening to appear for questioning before the SIT probing the case.

“It (lookout notice) has been issued against him (Revanna) already. It was issued against both—Revanna and Prajwal. Anticipating that Revanna may also plan to go abroad, it has been done,” Parameshwara said.

While speaking to reporters here, he said, “Revanna has time till this evening to appear before SIT for inquiry. Second notice was given to him. In the meantime, in the Mysuru kidnap case he is said to have applied for a bail.”

Responding to a question on an arrest being made in the Mysuru kidnap case, the minister said, “Such things keep happening...arrests will be happening, lookout notices have been issued, several other developments will be happening, many things may not come to the public domain.”

A first case was registered against the father and son duo for alleged sexual harassment at the Holenarsipura police station in Hassan district on last Sunday, based on a complaint by a woman who worked in Revanna’s house.

The second FIR was registered against Revanna and his confidant Sathish Babanna in Mysuru on Thursday night for allegedly abducting a woman, who is also reportedly a victim of sexual abuse.

Asked, while Satish Babanna, the second accused in the kidnap case has been arrested, but first accused Revanna has not been arrested yet, Parameshwara said, “He (Revanna) has been given an opportunity, notice has been given to him under section 41 A of CrPC and he will have to appear (before SIT).

“He has been served the second notice and he has 24 hours’ time, which will end today, after which whatever action should be taken will be taken.” To a question regarding arresting Prajwal Revanna, Parameshwara said, “He will have to come back (from abroad). If not today, day-after-tomorrow or after that he will have to come. After that, procedurally, whatever has to be done, like arrest and other things will be done.”

The 33-year-old Prajwal Revanna, who is the grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, was the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s candidate from Hassan, which went to the polls on April 26.

Explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days, following which the state government constituted the SIT to probe the alleged sex scandal involving the MP.

Prajwal Revanna is said to have flown abroad on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka held on April 26. His advocate had sought for seven days’ time for him to appear before SIT, to which the investigating team has replied it is not possible as there is no such provision.

The second FIR was filed against Prajwal Revanna, this time by the CID in Bengaluru on Wednesday based on a complaint by a JD(S) party worker, who alleged she was raped by Prajwal at gunpoint. He later made a video of her and blackmailed the woman saying he would make it viral if she did not fulfill his lust whenever he demanded, the complaint said.

Meanwhile, the SIT team did the ‘spot mahazar’ at Revanna’s Holenarsipura residence in the presence of the victim on Saturday, according to sources.

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