BENGALURU: The alleged sexual assault and leaked videos case against former PM HD Deve Gowda's grandson, Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, took a grave turn on Thursday with another woman alleging she also was sexually assaulted by him.
Based on her statement, an SIT probing the case has been allowed to invoke rape charges against him under IPC Section 376. Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara said Prajwal was "able to leave the country only because of the diplomatic passport issued to him by the Centre". He said CM Siddaramaiah had written to Centre seeking the revocation of his diplomatic passport.
Calling Prajwal a "mass rapist", Rahul Gandhi alleged he had "raped 400 women" and accused PM Modi of endorsing him by seeking votes for him.
W ith this, the noose around Prajwal and his father HD Revanna will tighten as they were earlier charged with bailable offences under IPC Sections 354A (sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). Sec 376 is a cognisable and non-bailable offence entailing over 10 years in jail.
The first woman who lodged the complaint worked in the Revanna household. The second woman, who allegedly figured in one of the sleaze videos, appeared before a magistrate and recorded her statement under CrPC Sec 164. Prajwal’s father, H D Revanna, moved a special court for elected representatives seeking anticipatory bail in the sexual harassment case