Sexual abuse: SIT interrogates Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna
Bengaluru (PTI): Suspended JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, facing allegations of sexually abusing several women, was interrogated after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) arrested him as soon as he landed at the Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru in the wee hours of Friday.
The 33 year-old MP, who arrived from Munich, was taken to the CID office for interrogation, sources in the SIT said.
The SIT is also contemplating a potency test on Prajwal.
The Special Court for Public Representatives will hear the bail plea of Prajwal and his mother Bhavani Revanna on Friday.
Before reaching Bengaluru from Munich, the Hassan MP had made a last attempt to avoid arrest and had moved the court seeking bail.
Prajwal faces three sexual abuse cases, while his mother has sought anticipatory bail in an alleged kidnapping case.
Though Bhavani is not an accused in the case, SIT has reportedly desired to investigate her role.
In the same case, Bhavani's husband and Holenarasipura MLA H D Revanna, who is former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda's son, was arrested and later released on bail. He is also an accused of sexually harassing the cook of his house, who was also sexually abused by his son Prajwal.
The 33-year-old Prajwal, grandson of Deve Gowda and the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, is facing charges of sexually abusing many women. He has been so far booked in three cases of sexual assault.
He had left for Germany on April 27, a day after Hassan went to polls. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts was issued by the Interpol earlier, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The MP, terming the cases against him as false and alleging political conspiracy, had said in a video statement issued earlier this week that he had gone into depression.
He had also filed an anticipatory bail plea at the Principal City and Sessions Court for Elected Representatives on May 29, which issued a notice to the SIT to file objections, before posting the hearing for Friday.
The scandal has raised a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.
While the Congress government has formed a SIT to probe the cases, the BJP and JD(S) -- NDA partners -- have demanded that it be handed over to the CBI, and action be taken against those behind the wide circulation of explicit videos.
The cases of sexual abuse came to light after a number of pen drives allegedly containing explicit videos involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.
Deve Gowda had recently issued a 'stern warning' to Prajwal, asking him to return to the country and face probe into the sexual abuse allegations, while asserting there will be no interference from him or other family members into the enquiry.
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 H D Kumaraswamy too had repeatedly appealed to his nephew to return to the country from abroad and face the probe.
JD(S) has suspended Prajwal Revanna from the party following the allegations.
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Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee holds roadshow in south Kolkata to end campaign
Kolkata (PTI): Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee undertook a roadshow in south Kolkata spanning over six kilometres on Monday afternoon at the fag end of campaigning for the second and final phase of the West Bengal assembly election.
The TMC chief was accompanied by party Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghose and candidates Aroop Biswas and Debasish Kumar from Tollygunge and Rashbehari, respectively.
People waiting on the roadside and on rooftops and balconies waved at Banerjee as she greeted them with folded hands, walking briskly, as her party compatriots had a tough time keeping pace with her.
The chief minister is contesting from the Bhabanipur assembly seat, where she is pitted against her bete noire, Suvendu Adhikari of the BJP, who defeated her in the 2021 elections in Nandigram.
Banerjee was subsequently elected from Bhabanipur in a byelection.
The roadshow started at Sukanta Setu in the Jadavpur area and culminated at Gopalnagar crossing, past her Kalighat residence, with two small stopovers in between.
TMC flags, festoons, cutouts of Banerjee and banners with slogans in favour of the candidates adorned the roadsides through which the road show passed and culminated at around 5.30 pm.
A large number of TMC supporters participated in the roadshow that Banerjee conducted to end her campaign for the 2026 assembly election in West Bengal.
