Another FIR registered against former MP Prajwal Revanna for sexual harassment
Bengaluru, Jun 25: Another FIR has been registered against former MP Prajwal Revanna on charges of sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation, police sources said on Tuesday.
Along with him, three others, including former BJP MLA from Hassan Preetham Gowda has also been named in the FIR for allegedly sharing images captured by Prajwal during sexual harassment of the victim on a video call, they said.
With the fresh FIR, this is the fourth case registered against Prajwal.
"A fresh case has been registered by the SIT against Prajwal and three others. Former BJP MLA Preetham Gowda has also been named in the FIR," a police source confirmed to PTI.
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The case has been registered under sections 355 A (sexual harassment), 354 B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354 D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and 66 E (punishment for violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act, according to the police sources.
Meanwhile, Prajwal is currently in police custody.
The 33-year-old grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent polls.
SIT officials arrested Prajwal soon after he landed at Bengaluru Airport from Germany on May 31. He had left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to Lok Sabha the polls. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts had earlier been issued by the Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation.
A Special Court for Elected Representatives issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal on May 18, following an application moved by the SIT.
Prajwal has been booked in three cases of sexual assault. There are also charges of rape against him.
The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan ahead of the Lok Sabha polls there on April 26. The JD(S) suspended him from the party following the cases filed against him.
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'Fraud on Constitution': SC rules against religious conversion for quota benefits
New Delhi (PTI): In a significant verdict, the Supreme Court has said religious conversions undertaken solely to avail reservation benefits without genuine belief amounted to a "fraud on the Constitution".
Justices Pankaj Mithal and R Mahadevan passed the verdict on November 26 in a case filed by one C Selvarani and upheld a Madras High Court decision of January 24 denying a scheduled caste certificate to a woman who converted to Christianity but later claimed to be a Hindu to secure employment benefits.
Justice Mahadevan, who wrote the 21-page verdict for the bench, further underscored that one converted to a different religion, when they were genuinely inspired by its principles, tenets and spiritual thoughts.
"However, if the purpose of conversion is largely to derive the benefits of reservation but not with any actual belief in the other religion, the same cannot be permitted, as the extension of benefits of reservation to people with such ulterior motives will only defeat the social ethos of the policy of reservation,” he noted.
The evidence presented before the bench was found to have clearly demonstrated that the appellant professed Christianity and actively practiced the faith by attending church regularly.
"Despite the same, she claims to be a Hindu and seeks for a SC community certificate for the purpose of employment," it noted.
"Such a dual claim made by her," said the bench "was untenable and she cannot continue to identify herself as a Hindu after baptism".
The top court, therefore, held the conferment of scheduled caste communal status to the woman, who was a Christian by faith, but claimed to be still embracing Hinduism only for the purpose of availing reservation in employment, "would go against the very object of reservation and would amount to fraud on the Constitution".
The top court underlined a religious conversion solely to access reservation benefits, without genuine belief in the adopted religion, undermined the fundamental social objectives of the quota policy and her actions were contrary to the spirit of reservation policies aimed at uplifting the marginalised communities.
Selvarani, born to a Hindu father and a Christian mother, was baptised as a Christian shortly after birth but later claimed to be a Hindu and sought an SC certificate to apply for an upper division clerk position in Puducherry in 2015.
While her father belonged to the Valluvan caste, categorised under scheduled castes, he had converted to Christianity, as confirmed by documentary evidence.
The verdict said the appellant continued to practice Christianity, as seen by the regular church attendance, making her claim of being a Hindu untenable.
The bench noted individuals converting to Christianity lose their caste identity and must provide compelling evidence of reconversion and acceptance by their original caste to claim SC benefits.
The judgement said there was no substantial evidence of the appellant's reconversion to Hinduism or acceptance by the Valluvan caste.
Her claims lacked public declarations, ceremonies, or credible documentation to substantiate her assertions, it pointed out.
"One converts to a different religion when genuinely inspired by its principles. Conversion purely for reservation benefits, devoid of belief, is impermissible," the bench held.
The apex court opined in any case, upon conversion to Christianity, one lost their caste and couldn't be identified by it.
"As the factum of reconversion is disputed, there must be more than a mere claim. The conversion had not happened by any ceremony or through 'Arya Samaj'. No public declaration was effected. There is nothing on record to show that she or her family has reconverted to Hinduism and on the contrary, there is a factual finding that the appellant still professes Christianity,” it noted.
The bench said there was evidence against the appellant, and therefore, her contention raised that the caste would be under eclipse upon conversion and resumption of the caste upon reconversion, was "unsustainable".
