JD(S) Suspends Prajwal Revanna Amid Sex Scandal Allegations
The Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)) suspended its Hassan Lok Sabha member Prajwal Revanna from the party on Tuesday following allegations of a sex scandal. The decision was welcomed by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), an ally of the JD(S).
The allegations against Prajwal, grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, surfaced just days before the third phase of the General Elections, in which he is contesting the Hassan seat. The pressure on the JD(S) to take action against Prajwal mounted as protests erupted across Karnataka, led by Congress workers.
A woman who worked in the Revanna household filed a complaint against Prajwal and his father H D Revanna, accusing them of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. The Karnataka government responded by forming a three-member Special Investigation Team to probe the allegations.
Meanwhile, the National Commission for Women (NCW) sought a report from the Karnataka police within three days regarding the case. Former Karnataka chief minister H D Kumaraswamy accused Deputy CM D K Shivakumar of conspiring to circulate videos related to the scandal. Shivakumar, in turn, pointed to earlier statements made by Kumaraswamy regarding concerns about Prajwal's candidacy.
Prajwal Revanna's former car driver Karthik and BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda traded accusations of leaking the purported videos. The BJP has stated that they will push for the full force of the law against the accused.
With the investigation ongoing and political tensions rising, the outcome of the sex scandal allegations remains uncertain.