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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police is preparing for the return of JD(S) Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, 33, who is accused of multiple rape cases. The MP, who has been abroad since April 27, is expected to arrive in Bengaluru on May 31, where he will likely face arrest. The SIT claims to have amassed a considerable amount of circumstantial evidence against Revanna.
Prajwal Revanna left India on April 27, shortly after the second phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the emergence of videos allegedly showing him committing sexual assaults. Revanna is scheduled to arrive from Munich, Germany, at 12:35 am on May 31. The SIT, armed with an arrest warrant issued on May 18, is expected to apprehend him upon arrival.
The primary evidence in the three FIRs filed against Revanna includes statements from three victims. In addition to these testimonies, the SIT has gathered secondary evidence from video recordings of the alleged assaults. These videos, reportedly filmed by Revanna himself, are central to the investigation.
Nearly a month after leaving the country, Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna announced he will appear before the SIT at 10 am on May 31 for the sexual harassment probe.
— Barely Opinionated (@BrlyOptd) May 27, 2024
He also apologized to his grandfather, former PM HD Deve Gowda, and mentioned he is depressed.#PrajwalRevanna #JDS… pic.twitter.com/MitSnGVemz
The SIT has conducted extensive crime scene mappings to corroborate the locations of the assaults depicted in the videos. Efforts to locate the device used to record these videos, an iPhone reported missing by Revanna, are ongoing. The SIT is also analyzing physical attributes and voice samples from the videos to confirm the MP's involvement.
Over a dozen witnesses have provided statements to the SIT, describing occurrences at Revanna’s quarters in Hassan and family residences in Bengaluru and Hassan. These accounts, along with technical evidence such as cell phone tower data and voice samples, are being used to build a robust case.
The SIT has seized several items, including beds, cots, and furniture from the Hassan MP quarters, where some of the alleged assaults took place. These items are being examined for forensic evidence. The team is also using cloud data from iPhones to trace the origins and distribution of the videos.
#WATCH | Hassan, Karnataka: Thousands of people participate in a procession demanding the arrest of suspended JDS leader Prajwal Revanna. pic.twitter.com/NKezWdxEMJ
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2024
The investigation began with the discovery of a pen drive containing over 2,900 clips of alleged assaults, released into the public domain by Revanna's political rivals ahead of the April 26 Lok Sabha polls. The SIT is investigating the role of Revanna’s former car driver, Karthik N., who allegedly stole and distributed the videos using Apple’s AirDrop feature. Karthik, who had a falling out with Revanna in March 2023, is currently absconding.
Revanna has filed anticipatory bail pleas in the three sexual assault cases. These pleas will be heard on May 31, just hours after his scheduled arrival in Bengaluru. The MP’s arrest is imminent, with the SIT ready to take him into custody to advance the investigation.
