In a massive rape scandal, Prajwal Revanna, the sitting MP of the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)] party in Karnataka’s Hassan parliamentary constituency and a key ally of PM Modi's BJP party, has been “accused” of sexually abusing and raping over 2,000 women, including party workers.
Videos of the incidents have been leaked online.
According to reports, women can be seen pleading with Prajwal to not rape them in the leaked videos.
However, the accused has fled the country since the videos started circulating online.
The JD(S) party temporarily suspended Revanna, the MP for Hassan and the party’s Lok Sabha candidate, on Tuesday.
Addressing the media, JD(S) state president H. D. Kumaraswamy stated that the suspension would last until the completion of the probe by the Special Investigation Team (SIT). If the allegations against him are proven, he will be suspended permanently.
Revanna is also the grandson of former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda.
An FIR alleging sexual harassment was lodged on Sunday against Prajwal and H. D. Revanna, who is a member of the state assembly, based on the complaint of a woman who worked at their home.
The woman alleged that she was sexually abused multiple times between 2019 and 2022. She claimed that H. D. Revanna and Prajwal used to sexually assault women workers in their homes.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (outraging the modesty of a woman).