Bengaluru, 29 April

The JD(S) has decided to suspend Hassan MP and former prime minister HD Deve Gowda's grandson, Prajwal Revanna over sexual abuse allegations, party chief HD Kumaraswamy said on Monday as the Congress and others tore into the BJP over the issue and its alliance with the southern party.

Police on Sunday booked Prajwal and his father -- JD(S) MLA and former minister HD Revanna -- for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint from a woman, who worked in their household. Prajwal (33) is the BJP-JD(S) alliance candidate for the Lok Sabha election Hassan, which went to the polls on Friday.

"A decision was already made. Tomorrow it is to be recommended at the core committee meeting in Hubballi. Because he (Prajwal) is a Member of Parliament, it has to be done from Delhi. So I had requested Deve Gowda (JD(S) National President and former PM). Neither he (Gowda) nor I were aware of this issue," Kumaraswamy claimed. "Some issues have come out, based on that it has been decided yesterday itself to suspend (him). But many were in a hurry."

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah on the matter, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra wondered how Prajwal was able to leave the country after committing atrocities against women.

Quoting police, state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's office had said in a statement, Prajwal had left the country (after polling was over).

Addressing an election rally at Sedam town in Kalaburagi, Vadra said: "The person (Prajwal Revanna) who shared the stage with PM Modi and for whom Modi asked votes committed atrocities on thousands of women. I want to ask PM Modi and HM Amit Shah what they want to say about it."

She said sometime back when she went to meet her daughter (overseas) for three days, Modi and Shah started saying she had gone abroad. "They get to know where I or opposition leaders have gone, but this kind of criminal, this type of demon leaves the country and they do not get to know this," she said. "How can we trust them? All the information goes to them, they keep a watch on all the leaders where they are going but someone who committed such a big crime and flees the country right under their nose, and they do not have information?" she asked.

Meanwhile, the state government has constituted a Special Investigation Team and the FIR filed against Revanna and Prajwal has been referred to it. Some explicit video clips allegedly involving Prajwal had started making the rounds in Hassan in recent days.

Responding, Revanna said he was open to an investigation over the allegations of sexual abuse involving his son and himself, and that they were ready to face action as per law if the charges are proved.

Alleging there was "politics" behind the issue, the elder son of JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda said Prajwal would "join" the probe "whenever he is asked to". "We are here, we will face it legally...I will not react to this issue, as the case has been given to SIT and their investigation should not be hindered," he told reporters.

On the FIR registered against him too, he said: "There is politics, I don't want to comment. They (Congress) are in government and they will do whatever they want."

JD(S) MLA Samruddhi V Manjunath sought action against Prajwal and his father, demanding for their expulsion. The MLA from Mulbagal in Kolar district said the charges against the two have embarrassed the party workers so much that they do not wish to even take its name.

Another JD(S) MLA Sharanagouda Kandkur too demanded expulsion of Prajwal Revanna. He said the sleeze videos in public domain has caused embarrassment for the party.

Karnataka BJP president BY Vijayendra said his party has nothing to do with the allegations against Prajwal, and that the law will take its course. He also accused the ruling Congress in the state of playing "dirty politics" by targeting the BJP on the issue.

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said Prajwal Revanna has been accused of sexual misconduct and thousands of videos show him molesting women from all age groups, and committing heinous crimes against them. "These women are domestic workers, and party workers, MPs, and their lives have been destroyed by him. That's the kind of man he is! These videos show how the lives of hundreds of women have been destroyed by him. One of the videos shows how a 63-year-old woman, old enough to be his mother or grandmother, is seen pleading to him," Shrinate said.

She claimed a local BJP leader, Devaraj Gowda had written to Modi in December last, about pen drives and Revanna's sexual misconduct. A month later, at a press he spoke about "sexual misconduct and these thousands of videos," she added.

In February and March, when Amit Shah visited Mysuru to finalise alliance with the JD(S), he was informed by thousands of workers and leaders, including from Preetham Gowda to AT Ramaswamy, not to make Prajwal Revanna a candidate in Karnataka as he is known to inflict sexual violence on women, inappropriately behaving with them on camera, she said.

The AAP also reacted strongly and called the alleged sex scandal "worse than the Nithari serial murders" and questioned why the BJP did not sever ties with the JD(S). The Trinamool Congress also attacked the BJP. Congress workers staged protest in Bengaluru and elsewhere in Karnataka on the matter.