The “absconding” Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, accused of multiple instances of sexual abuse, has been booked for rape in another case. This is the second rape case against him. Prajwal was booked for rape in the first case on May 2.
He is learnt to have flown to Germany on April 27 and is still at large. Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice against him.
The new FIR was registered on May 5, based on a complaint lodged by a former domestic help in H.D. Revanna’s household. The video of the woman, who has now lodged a complaint alleging rape, is among the large cache of explicit videos being circulated in Hassan since April 23.
Police sources said that the particular video is “one of the most horrific” of the lot, as the woman of about 60 years of age is crying, pleading with folded hands to spare her, and that she had served food to his father and grandfather. But the man, purportedly Prajwal Revanna, is seen raping on video.
Sections invoked
Acting on her complaint, the police have registered an FIR against Prajwal Revanna, booking him for rape. He has now been booked under sections 376 (2) (k) for “being in a position of control or dominance over a woman, commits rape on such woman”, 376 (2) (n) for committing “rape repeatedly on the same woman”, 354 (A), 354 (B), and 354 (C) for outraging the modesty of the woman and recording and disseminates images, videos of women engaging in a private act and 506 for criminal intimidation of the Indian Penal Code.
If convicted in the case, Prajwal will be sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for not less than 10 years but may extend to life imprisonment.
The victim recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) on Thursday. SIT has conducted mahazar at multiple locations in Hassan and Bengaluru, where she was allegedly raped repeatedly, in connection with the case.
The victim in the case was allegedly abducted at the behest of Mr. Revanna on April 29 to allegedly prevent her from testifying against Prajwal Revanna. She was allegedly held captive at the farmhouse of a former personal secretary of H.D. Revanna in Hunsur taluk, Mysuru district. She was rescued by the SIT on May 4. Mr. Revanna has been arrested in the abduction case and his bail plea will come up for hearing on May 13.
Earlier FIR
Prajwal Revanna was booked for rape for the first time on May 2, based on a complaint by a political worker who alleged that the Hassan MP raped her in his official residence in Hassan town for the first time in 2021, when she had gone to seek his help for a few students.
She alleged that he threatened to kill her and her husband if she did not cooperate and then not only raped her but filmed it on his mobile, using which he blackmailed to rape her repeatedly from 2021 to April 2024. The complainant in the case has also recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.
