HD Deve Gowda’s grandson suspended from JD(S) over sexual harassment allegations

New Delhi: Prajwal Revanna, Karnataka MP and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s grandson, was on Tuesday suspended from the Janata Dal (Secular) amid a row over allegations of sexual harassment of women. Prajwal has also been issued a show cause notice by the party.

“We welcome SIT against Prajwal Revanna. We’ve taken a decision to recommend our party’s national president to suspend him from the party till the SIT investigation is completed, “JD(S) core committee president GT Deve Gowda said.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had questioned the Congress government in Karnataka why no action had been taken in the matter if there was any truth.

The Congress, on the other hand has attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP, accusing them of fielding Prajwal Revanna from the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency, despite being informed by the Karnataka BJP leaders about his sexual misconduct. The JC(S) is fighting the Lok Sabha election in Karnataka in alliance with the BJP.

Explicit videos allegedly showing the Karnataka MP sexually assaulting multiple women were circulated in his constituency Hassan, a day after it went to polls. A police case was filed against him by a woman who alleged that she was sexually abused multiple times between 2019 and 2022. She also alleged that Prajwal’s father HD Revanna also sexually assaulted her.

Based on the State Women’s Commission recommendation, the Karnataka government has formed a special investigation team (SIT) to look into the case. National Commission for Women chief Rekha Sharma on Tuesday called the alleged “obscene videos” case a “big issue” and said that NCW had taken note of the issue after which the Special Investigation Team was formed.

Meanwhile, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara has said that Prajwal, who left for Germany on Saturday shortly after the videos emerged online, will be asked to return to India by the SIT.