Janata Dal (Secular) leaders HD Revanna and his son Prajwal Revanna had sexually assaulted several housemaids, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka police said in charge sheets. According to media reports, the Karnataka police SITs probing the mighty political family submitted separate charge sheets to the Special Court of Electoral Representatives.
While the charge sheet against JDS MLA HD Revanna was 2,144 pages long, the one against former Lok Sabha MP Prajwal went on for 1,632 pages. They were reportedly submitted on August 23 and September 9 respectively.
Revanna, son of JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda, is accused of sexually abusing a cook at his residence. The survivor told the probe team that she was sexually harassed by the 66-year-old leader when his wife was away.
According to the charge sheet, the survivor was hired on a contract basis by Revanna and his wife Bhavani Revanna. She came to the Revanna residence from Holenarsipura’s Backward Classes Post-Metric Women’s Hostel and worked for three years between 2019 and 2022, The South First said in a report.
In 2020, Revanna reportedly began summoning domestic help to his room while Bhavani was away. No harm would come to her, Revanna used to tell the survivor, the news report said.
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HD Revanna used to distribute fruits to all housemaids serving the family. The employees were asked to reach the storeroom on the first floor of his Holenarsipura residence to receive fruits from him. According to the charge sheet, Revanna used to make the woman housemaid wait before giving her any fruits. He will distribute it to the other employees while she waits, the chargesheet reportedly said. He used the opportunity to sexually assault her, the report said.
The senior JD(S) leader has been booked under Sections 354 and 354(A) of the Indian Penal Code, The South First Report said.
The cases of sexual abuse against Prajwal Revanna 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. JD(S) suspended him from the party following the cases filed against him. Four separate cases have been registered against the 33-year-old who is currently lodged in Parappana Agrahara Jail.