HC refuses to stall probe against ex-BJP MLA Preetham Gowda in case linked to Prajwal Revanna
Bengaluru, Jun 28: The Karnataka High Court on Friday refused to stall the investigation against former Hassan BJP MLA Preetham Gowda, who is accused of distributing explicit videos of sexual assault allegedly involving former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna.
Gowda had filed a petition seeking to quash the FIR registered against him under Section 67, 66E of the Information Technology Act and Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.
A single judge bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit passed the interim order while issuing notice to the respondents.
However, the court said that Gowda should not be arrested or detained as long as he cooperates with the investigation.
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It also said this order shall not come in the way of any material discovered by the police.
Gowda, who lost the Assembly polls in May last year, was named as an accused in the fourth FIR registered against Prajwal Revanna by a woman.
Four separate cases have been registered against Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of the former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, all of which are being investigated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.
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EC-TMC meet ends on bitter note; CEC asks TMC delegation to 'get lost', MP accused of 'shouting'
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New Delhi (PTI): The meeting between a Trinamool Congress delegation and the full bench of the Election Commission on Wednesday culminated on an acrimonious note, with the TMC saying the panel's chief asked them to "get lost" at the end of the seven-minute meeting, while the EC accused them of "shouting".
After the meeting, TMC's Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien told mediapersons that they handed over letters from West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, and also apprised him of specific instances of poll officials having links with the BJP.
"Then he said, 'Get lost'. We have done eight to nine meetings with the Election Commission. Apart from the CEC, none of the other election commissioners spoke," O'Brien said.
"While we were walking out, one of my colleagues congratulated Gyanesh Kumar for being the only CEC to have notices moved in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for his removal," O'Brien MP said.
Meanwhile, sources in the Election Commission said the poll panel chief gave a "straight talk" to TMC leaders.
They accused O'Brien of shouting at the election commissioners and alleged that he asked the CEC not to speak.
The EC sources further said the elections in West Bengal would be "fear-free, violence-free, intimidation-free, and inducement-free."
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