JD(S) MLA and former minister H D Revanna.
Credit: DH Photo
Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the alleged sexual abuse case in Hassan on Monday held a mahazar (inquest) at JD(S) MLA HD Revanna’s house in Basavanagudi in Bengaluru. Revanna is currently in SIT custody till May 8 after he was arrested from his father former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s Bengaluru house on May 4 in a kidnapping and illegal confinement case involving a survivor allegedly sexually assaulted by JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna.
The SIT team arrived at Revanna’s residence along with the survivor during the day. The probe team then held the mahazar for a few hours and returned in the evening after finishing the documentation and videographing the process.
Meanwhile, Gopal, Revanna’s advocate, accused the SIT of not allowing him inside the house during the mahazar. Gopal claimed that although he was served the mahazar notice, he wasn’t allowed in.
"I am not allowed inside though I should have been present there. Illegal things are going on. I am not against spot inspection. When the SIT served me a notice to be present here, why I was kept outside? Did I say that I will not cooperate?" Gopal asked.
"Shouldn’t you (SIT) provide it to the person authorised for spot inspection? The SIT is doing it in a one-sided manner. They are keeping the process away from my glare," the advocate added.
Meanwhile, Sathish Babanna, another accused in the kidnapping case, who allegedly took the woman away from her residence in KR Nagar’s Hebbalu on April 29, was sent to SIT’s custody for eight days for further investigation. Babanna was arrested on May 3 and was remanded in judicial custody.
Three separate cases have been registered in connection. The first case was registered on April 28 at the Holenarasipur police station in Hassan accusing Revanna and Prajwal of sexually harassing a 47-year-old house help. The second case was registered on May 1 after a 44-year-old former Hassan Zilla Panchayat member accused Prajwal of repeated rape, threats and blackmail over three years.
The third case of kidnapping was registered against Revanna and his aide Babanna at KR Nagar police station in Mysuru on May 2.
No update on Prajwal
Revanna’s son Prajwal is yet to return to the country. Sources close to the probe said that Revanna was unlikely to return before Tuesday's Lok Sabha polling in the state. On May 1, Prajwal, through his advocate, had sought a seven-day extension to appear before the SIT, which was rejected.
An SIT team is keeping a close watch on the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, while an alert was in place at the Mangaluru airport.
Prajwal is expected to return from Germany where he flew on April 27, a day after the Phase-2 Lok Sabha polls in the state.