In an important development, the Karnataka High Court on Monday granted bail to BJP leader G. Devaraje Gowda, a whistle-blower of the sex video scandal involving former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's grandson, former JD (S) MP Prajwal Revanna.
Devaraje Gowda had alleged that he was being contacted and lured by Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar to make allegations against the Deve Gowda family, especially against the Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy.
The bench headed by Justice M.G. Uma passed the order granting bail to Gowda. Senior counsel Arun Shyam had made a submission in favour of Devaraje Gowda who was arrested on charges of rape.
Counsel Arun Shyam stated that the complaint against Gowda was lodged on April 1, 2024, mentioning that the rape case took place on Dec 29, 2023. The husband of the victim had lodged a police complaint earlier in March in which no mention was made of the offence of rape committed by Gowda.
He further submitted that in this case, the police have submitted a closure report for want of evidence. The rape complaint is lodged after about 90 days after the incident.
Gowda was remanded to judicial custody and is presently kept at the Hassan District Prison.
Gowda alleged in May that Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar offered him Rs 100 crore to malign the names of former Chief Minister and JD-S state President H.D. Kumaraswamy, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Speaking to media persons from the police vehicle after being sent to judicial custody, Devaraje Gowda had claimed that Shivakumar even sent him Rs 5 crore as advance.
"After I refused the offer, police cases were lodged against me and I was arrested. I am ready to expose him (Shivakumar) once I am released. The Congress government is going to collapse in Karnataka," he claimed.
Devaraje Gowda had stated, "It was Shivakumar who obtained the pen drive from Karthik Gowda, who worked as a driver for Prajwal Revanna, and planned the entire episode."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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