JD(S) MLA Revanna arrested from Deve Gowda's home in abduction case

Bengaluru: Karnataka JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was arrested by sleuths of a Special Investigation Team on Saturday in a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against his son Prajwal. He was arrested soon after a court here rejected his anticipatory bail plea, officials said.

The former Minister was picked up from the Padmanabhanagar residence of his father, JD(S) supremo and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda here, and brought to the Special Investigation Team (SIT) office.

The case was registered against Revanna, a former minister and his confidant Sathish Babanna in Mysuru on Thursday night for allegedly abducting a woman.

The case was registered on a complaint filed by the woman's son, who also alleged that his mother was sexually abused by Revanna's son and the BJP-JD(S) candidate for Hassan Lok Sabha seat Prajwal Revanna.

Babanna has already been arrested in connection with the case.

The woman was allegedly abducted to prevent her from testifying against Prajwal, police sources said.

Revanna was charged under Section 364(a) (kidnapping for ransom, etc), 365 (kidnapping or abducting with intent secretly and wrongfully to confine person) and 34 (the acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

Revanna was later taken to Bowring Hospital here for medical examination.

Seeking anticipatory bail in the case, Revanna approached the Special Court for Elected Representatives, which on Saturday dismissed his plea.

Revanna's advocates promised the court that he would attend interrogation by the SIT if the bail plea was granted. However, objections were raised by the SIT public prosecutor to his bail application.

On Saturday, police officials rescued the abducted woman from a farmhouse, allegedly belonging to an aide of Revanna at Kalenahalli village in Hunsur taluk of Mysuru district.

So far, two FIRs have been registered against Revanna.

The first case was registered against Revanna and son Prajwal for alleged sexual harassment at the Holenarsipura police station in Hassan district 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.

Explicit video clips allegedly involving the 33-year-old Prajwal, grandson of Deve Gowda, had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days, following which the state government constituted a SIT to probe the alleged sexual abuse allegations against the MP.

The sexual abuse allegations have become a major campaign narrative in the Lok Sabha elections with the Congress and BJP-JD(S) combine engaged in a political blame game.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi led the Congress attack, alleging that Prajwal fled the country under the "very nose" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. He also sought an apology from Modi for seeking votes for a "mass rapist", claiming that Prajwal sexually abused nearly 400 women.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged the Prime Minister to cancel Prajwal's diplomatic passport.

BJP has rejected the charge and distanced itself from the episode, stating that it concerned only the MP, and law will take its course.

In a counter-attack, Shah accused the Siddaramaiah government of allowing Prajwal to leave the country by not taking timely action.

The second phase of polling in 14 constituencies in Karnataka will take place on May 7.