SIT charge sheet names 39 for circulating explicit content involving Prajwal Revanna
Bengaluru (PTI): An SIT probing the circulation of explicit videos and photographs linked to multiple sexual abuse allegations has filed a charge sheet against 39 individuals in a court in Hassan, sources said on Wednesday.
Poornachandra Tejaswi M G, who was an election agent for former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna during the Lok Sabha elections in 2024, filed a complaint with Hassan police alleging the dissemination of obscene content through pendrives and messaging platforms during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, with investigators suspecting an organised effort to influence voters.
Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former prime minister Deve Gowda, was convicted in a sexual assault case.
Sources said that the accused, who circulated the obscene videos purportedly of Prajwal Revanna, had allegedly purchased 70 pendrives to circulate the obscene content, and the police found that one of them procured them by making a UPI payment. They added that transaction details have been collected as part of the evidence.
The investigation was initially based on a complaint filed with the cybercrime police in April 2024, alleging that morphed images and videos were being circulated widely in the constituency to influence the electoral outcome.
A case was registered under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2008, along with relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
Subsequently, the State government handed over the case to the SIT constituted to probe the larger allegations of sexual abuse. The probe team examined the role of over 50 individuals and, based on available material, named 39 persons in the charge sheet.
The charge sheet, running into over 13,000 pages, includes extensive documentary and digital evidence collected during the investigation, officials said.
Meanwhile, the complainant expressed dissatisfaction over the development, alleging that names of "influential people" had been dropped. He urged the authorities to "dig deeper" and identify the alleged kingpin behind the circulation network.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
No unannounced load shedding in Kerala, outages due to overload, says Minister
Palakkad (PTI): Kerala Electricity Minister K Krishnankutty on Saturday said there was no unannounced load shedding in the state, attributing recent power interruptions to temporary overload caused by high consumption.
Clarifying concerns raised from various parts of the state, the minister said the disruptions are not deliberate but occur when demand peaks, particularly between 10 pm and 11 pm.
"It is not being done intentionally. Power consumption has risen sharply, and when there is excessive and indiscriminate usage, the system experiences overload, leading to natural supply interruptions," he told reporters here.
His remarks come amid complaints that several areas have been witnessing frequent power cuts, often lasting around 15 minutes and occurring multiple times during the night.
Krishnankutty said the state's power demand has crossed 6,195 MW, putting pressure on the supply system. He added that around 70 per cent of Kerala's electricity is procured from outside, and existing power banking arrangements have been exhausted.
"We have approached the Regulatory Commission seeking permission to purchase more power. However, this will come at a higher cost," he said.
The minister said the government is trying to avoid increasing electricity tariffs and urged consumers to exercise restraint in usage to help manage the situation.
Responding to opposition criticism over the ruling LDF's earlier claims of a decade without power cuts, he said the current situation is not unique to Kerala.
A power crisis is emerging across the country, he said, and sarcastically asked the Opposition to take note of the role of natural factors in this.
Krishnankutty expressed confidence that the situation would improve within two days, while cautioning that long-term energy security would depend on enhancing in-state power generation.
He also warned that future generations could face serious challenges if adequate electricity production capacity is not developed within Kerala.
