Bengaluru: Prajwal Revanna, accused of raping and sexually exploiting multiple women, was arrested by an all-women police team earlier today. Three women officers escorted the MP from Bengaluru airport as he returned from Germany post-midnight, amid massive public outrage and a huge political controversy.
The MP boarded a flight home after the Karnataka High Court refused his appeal for pre-arrest bail. Sources said his grandfather, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, also shot off a message to him, warning that he would face his family's wrath if he failed to return now.
"I apologise to my parents... I was in depression (over political rivals' attacks on the sex assault charges). I will appear (before the police team) on May 31. I will cooperate to the best of my abilities... I have the blessings of God," Prajwal Revanna said in a video statement posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Monday.
The details of the arrest were posted on X by former top cop-turned politician Bhaskar Rao.
"The fugitive MP was escorted out of the Bengaluru Airport by a all women police team , a decision of SIT was a strong positive sign that strong women police force of Karnataka will not only deal with the perpetrator but send a strong message to the hundreds of women whose modesty was outraged and create confidence for them to come forth… Good SIT Chief," his post read.
A senior leader of Janata Dal (Secular), Prajwal Revanna is defending the family bastion, the Hassan Lok Sabha seat.
He had left for Germany on April 27, after polling in his constituency ended. Videos purportedly showing him sexually assaulting multiple women surfaced later in the day and were widely circulated on social media.
Prajwal Revanna was taken to the Crime Investigation Department (CID) office in Bengaluru, where he will be questioned by the Special Investigation Team probing the case. He will be in their custody till June 6. His lawyer has denied that any rape took place.
The matter has also morphed into a huge political row, with the BJP in alliance with Mr Deve Gowda's Janata Dal Secular in Karnataka. The state leaders of the BJP have distanced themselves from the matter and the Hasan MP has been suspended by his party.
Prajwal Revanna's uncle and party chief HD Kumaraswamy has said there could be no question of forgiving anyone who had committed a crime.