BJP Leader G Devaraje Gowda Arrested in Bengaluru: Accused of Sexual Assault
Bengaluru, 11th May 2024: The spotlight turned to BJP leader G Devaraje Gowda on Friday as he was taken into custody in connection with a sexual assault case. Police apprehended him while he was en route from Bengaluru to Chitradurga.
The arrest stems from allegations made by a 36-year-old woman, who accused Gowda of molesting her under the guise of assisting her in selling her property. This incident follows Gowda’s prior involvement in exposing JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna’s purported sexual misconduct, which ignited controversy during the 2023 Karnataka assembly election.
Gowda, who contested against Prajwal’s father, HD Revanna, is also accused of disseminating videos purportedly depicting Prajwal’s alleged sexual transgressions. Despite Gowda’s warnings to BJP leadership regarding Prajwal’s conduct, the JD(S) leader was nominated by the BJP for the Hassan Lok Sabha seat, despite an existing alliance between the two parties.
The scandal unfolded shortly after the April 26 polls in the Hassan constituency, with circulating videos allegedly showing multiple instances of sexual assault, some involving Prajwal himself. Prajwal, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, fled to Germany following the videos’ emergence and was subsequently suspended by the JD(S). A blue corner notice has been issued to Interpol member states to locate him.
In a separate development, HD Revanna, Prajwal’s father, is currently incarcerated on charges of kidnapping a woman with three children.
