Understanding Prajwal Revanna Scandal: Sex Video Scandal, SIT Probe, PM Modi’s Response

Prajwal Revanna Scandal

Firstly let’s understand who Prajwal Revanna is he is the son of H. D. Revanna a legislator and former Minister for the Public Works Department of Karnataka and the grandson of former Prime Minister of India H. D. Deve Gowda. Additionally, he was the sole MP from Janata Dal-Secular in the Lok Sabha in the 2019 election from Hassan Karnataka and, he is contesting again in the 2024 general election from the Hassan constituency.

On the day of voting his polling agent filed a complaint with the police alleging that some falsified photos and videos of Prajwal’s scandal were being widely circulated in Hassan district. The complaint claimed that “the accused are going door to door and showing these obscene photos and videos provoking people not to vote for Prajwal.” It was reported that around 3000 sex videos featuring more than 1000 women allegedly recorded by Prajwal himself were circulated ahead of polling in the constituency.

Subsequently, on April 27 the Government of Karnataka established a Special Investigation Team SIT to probe the allegations. The Karnataka State Commission for Women stated that it had also recorded cases of women being forced and filmed without consent. Several pen drives containing these videos were reported to have been circulated widely and found in public places such as parks bus stops and a stadium in Hassan.

The following day reports emerged that Prajwal had fled the country for Germany using his diplomatic passport which does not require a visa. His family and party members stated that his trip was preplanned. However, he did not obtain the necessary clearance to use a diplomatic passport from the Ministry of External Affairs before traveling to Germany.

On April 30 Prajwal was suspended by the party which announced that the suspension would remain until the completion of the SIT probe initiated against him.

As tension escalated Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a stand on the issue. He asserted that there should be zero tolerance for someone like Prajwal Revanna and has accused the Congress government in Karnataka of allowing the JDS MP to leave the country and releasing the incriminating sex videos after the polls were over in the region dominated by Vokkaligas.