Sex Crimes Accused Prajwal Revanna's Police Custody Extended Till June 10

The police custody of JDS leader Prajwal Revanna, suspended by the party after he was allegedly seen on tape sexually assaulting women, has been extended custody till Monday, June 10.

The former MP, who fled to Germany amid allegations of sex crimes, returned to India on May 31, a little after midnight, and was arrested as soon as he landed in Bengaluru. The next morning he was produced before a court, which remanded him in police custody till June 6.

Mr Revanna was produced before the court today after his custody ended.

Prajwal Revanna, an MP from Karnataka's Hassan in the 17th Lok Sabha, was fielded by the JDS - this time in alliance with the BJP - to retain the seat. He was, however, defeated by over 42,000 votes.

The now-suspended leader fled the country on a diplomatic passport in April, less than a week after the first of the many videos of him allegedly forcing women into sexual acts surfaced.

After several weeks of outrage and dramatic appeals in the media by his family - his grandfather, former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, and his uncle HD Kumaraswamy, he released a video message, announcing that he would finally return to India on May 31 and surrender before the cops.

A team of women officers of the Bengaluru Police were standing by at the Kempegowda International Airport on the outskirts of the IT hub. Minutes after the Lufthansa flight landed with the minister, he was arrested.

His luggage and mobile phone were seized, news agency IANS reported quoting sources. He was then taken to the Bowring Hospital for medical tests before his interrogation began.

The BJP promptly distanced itself from Revanna with its state unit chief S Prakash saying, "We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos, and neither do we have any comments to make..."