Prajwal Revanna: Karnataka MP's 'sex abuse' tapes spark outrage
- Published
Prajwal Revanna is also a candidate from the Hassan constituency in Karnataka
Thousands of videos allegedly showing an Indian MP sexually abusing women have circulated in the southern state of Karnataka, sparking outrage.
Police are investigating allegations against Prajwal Revanna who is accused of assaulting several women.
Mr Revanna has not commented but an official from his office denied this, saying the videos are doctored.
The MP belongs to the Janata Dal (Secular) which is an ally of PM Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party.
His father HD Revanna, who is a legislator in the Karnataka state assembly, is also an accused in the police complaint lodged by a former employee of the family. He has denied the allegations, calling them a political conspiracy.
On Monday, the JD(S) announced it was suspending Prajwal Revanna. The party was founded by Mr Revanna's grandfather HD Deve Gowda, who is a former Indian prime minister.
Karnataka's Chief Minister K Siddaramaiah said that a special investigation team (SIT) will look into the case, based on a request by the state's women's commission.
The allegations against Mr Revanna first came to light in June last year, but he obtained a court order preventing media from reporting what was described as "morphed videos". But five days before the 26 April voting in Hassan - from where Mr Revanna is the MP and seeking another term - thousands of pen drives were circulated in public places such as bus stands and parks.
The clips, which reports say were shot by Mr Revanna himself, showed the faces of the women he had allegedly abused.
Following a complaint from a woman, Karnataka's women's commission chief Nagalakshmi Chaudhary wrote to the state police chief seeking action against the perpetrators.
"Your blood boils when you see some of the videos," she told the BBC. "There is one woman who is begging... 'please don't, please don't'. You feel sick."
On Sunday, a 47-year-old woman, who worked as a cook for the family and identified herself as a cousin of Mr Revanna's mother, filed a police complaint alleging that she was sexually abused by the MP and his father.
"When I joined, six other maids would say they were scared of Prajwal. The male employees, too, would ask us to be wary of [HD] Revanna and his son Prajwal," she said in her complaint.
"Whenever his wife was away, [HD] Revanna would repeatedly touch me inappropriately, disrobe me and sexually assault me. While I was working in the kitchen, Prajwal would grope me from behind," she added.
The woman claimed she decided to come forward after watching clips of other victims online.
Mr Revanna (extreme right) seen meeting PM Modi (centre top) with former prime minister HD Deve Gowda (centre bottom), and party chief HD Kumaraswamy (second right)
She also accused Prajwal Revanna of abusing her daughter, and his father of stalking and criminal intimidation.
Police say Prajwal Revanna has left the country, with some reports saying that he is in Germany. But his father has denied the claim and said they were willing to face investigation. "We won't run away scared. We're right here. We'll counter these charges as per the law," he told reporters.
The case has sparked a political storm in Karnataka. Many questioned how someone "accused of such a horrific act" was permitted to leave without questioning.
A state minister wrote on X, formerly Twitter, asking Mr Modi to explain why the alliance had fielded Prajwal Revanna for the election "knowing that hundreds of women had been abused by the candidate".
A local BJP leader, G Devaraje Gowda, had written to the state leadership in December, asking that Prajwal Revanna or any family should not be fielded as a candidate of the alliance because of the videos.
A BJP spokesperson told the BBC, "We cannot tell the alliance partner not to field this or that candidate. It is left to the party."
The JD(S) has also distanced itself from the two politicians. HD Revanna's brother, former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy, on Monday called them "an embarrassment to society".
"Don't blame the family," he told reporters. "HD Revanna and his family are separate. I don't keep track of his movements."
Senior party leader GT Deve Gowda said party leaders would take disciplinary action against the two men if the charges were proven.
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