A scandal has erupted in Karnataka politics as serious allegations of sexual misconduct have been leveled against Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and a prominent leader of the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)]. The accusations come from a woman who worked as a house help in the Revanna household. She claims that Prajwal repeatedly called her to his room and behaved inappropriately. Additionally, she named HD Revanna, Prajwal’s father and a current JD(S) leader, alleging similar behavior from him. The complainant also mentioned instances where Prajwal made inappropriate advances towards her daughter during a video call.
The woman, who chose to step forward after witnessing other victims sharing their experiences online, disclosed that the abuse occurred between 2019 and 2022. She mentioned incidents where Prajwal called women workers to the store room and touched them inappropriately, especially when his wife was not present. Similar accusations were made against HD Revanna, who allegedly used to call women to the store room and sexually assault them.
Following the complaint, an FIR has been filed against Prajwal Revanna, and the case, along with others, will be forwarded to a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by Additional General of Police Bijay Kumar Singh. The formation of the SIT came after the Karnataka government responded to a letter from the State Commission for Women regarding allegations of sexual misconduct involving influential politicians.
Meanwhile, Prajwal Revanna reportedly left for Frankfurt, Germany, amid the escalating controversy. His departure has sparked accusations from Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge, who accused the BJP-led central government of facilitating Prajwal’s escape from the country. BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda had previously alerted the state leadership about alleged obscene video clips involving Prajwal, months before he was announced as the NDA candidate for the Hassan seat.
JD(S) leader and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy addressed the scandal, asserting that whoever is found guilty will be punished. He emphasized that the party’s stance is clear on the matter and urged the Congress to focus on individuals rather than targeting families.
