Karnataka: HD Revanna refutes charges of kidnap and sexual harassment

Former minister and JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna has refuted the charges of kidnapping and sexual harassment of the victim of an obscene video case which involves his son, sitting MP and candidate for Hassan Lok Sabha seat, Prajwal Revanna, during the questioning by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), sources said on Sunday, 5 May.

The SIT chief, B.K. Singh, a senior IPS officer, who also headed the team which cracked the sensational murder case of author and activist Gauri Lankesh, is personally monitoring the questioning of Revanna.

The SIT had taken H.D. Revanna, the son of Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, into custody on Saturday.

The sleuths grilled HD Revanna throughout the night and continued the questioning on Sunday morning. Sources said that Revanna maintained that he was not involved in any of the cases and it was a conspiracy to finish him off and his family.

Sources also said that HD Revanna was given pen and paper to write his answers, but he refused and maintained that he was not connected to the cases.

The sleuths have also questioned him about the whereabouts of his son Prajwal Revanna who is absconding. The authorities have taken HD Revanna's mobile phone and verified it to get clues on the movements of his son Prajwal Revanna, sources said.

Sources said that Revanna was given a bed and kept in one of the rooms of the officers in the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on Saturday night. Other arrested political heavyweights and senior officers were also provided with the same kind of facility. Revanna was quiet during his stay in the CID building.

Revanna is facing charges of sexual harassment by a former maid. In another case, he is accused of kidnapping one of the victims of the sex scandal involving his son Prajwal Revanna. HD Revanna is named as the first accused in both cases.

The SIT is likely to get more information from the victim, who was rescued from the farmhouse of HD Revanna’s PA Rajagopal. The accused PA Rajagopal was also arrested by the SIT.

The sleuths will have to produce HD Revanna before the magistrate by Sunday evening. Sources said that he is most likely to be sent to judicial custody. In case the magistrate remands him to judicial custody, HD Revanna will be transferred to the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. However, the SIT has decided to take him into their custody if the need arises in the probe, sources stated.