SIT invokes Section 376 of IPC against Prajwal Revanna

It has now come to light that the Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing alleged multiple instances of sexual abuse by Prajwal Revanna, has invoked Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for rape against the “absconding” Hassan MP in the ˆrst FIR registered against him on April 28, a day after he £ew out of the country to Germany.

With this, the number of rape cases against Prajwal Revanna has risen to three.

Two other cases of rape were registered against Prajwal Revanna, based on the statements of a 44

Prajwal Revanna

year- old political worker and a former domestic help of around 60 years of age, who was allegedly abducted at the behest of Mr. Revanna and rescued by the Special Investigation Team.

The FIR, in which rape charges have been invoked against Mr. Prajwal now, was registered on April 28 at Holenarsipur Town Police Station and was the ˆrst case referred to the SIT during its formation.

Based on a complaint by a 47-year- old former domestic help in their Holenarsipur household, also a relative of Mr. Revanna’s wife Bhavani Revanna, Mr. Revanna and Mr. Prajwal were booked for sexual harassment under various subsections of Section 354 of the IPC. The complainant did not reveal rape initially and only alleged that she was sexually harassed and inappropriately touched by the father and the son when she worked in their house.

However, further investigation into the case and the victim’s statement before the magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) revealed that the woman was raped by Mr. Prajwal.

Following this, the SIT added rape charges against him in the same FIR, even as Mr. Revanna continues to be booked only for sexual harassment in the case.

The number of rape cases against him has risen to three. Two other cases of rape were registered against the MP, based on statements of a political worker and a former domestic help