BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda was arrested on Friday night on allegations of disseminating leaking explicit videos contained in a pen drive purportedly belonging to Hassan JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna.
Hiriyur police, acting on information provided by the Hassan police, arrested Gowda at the Gulihal tollgate in Chitradurga district. The videos surfaced just before the initial phase of the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka on April 26.
Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, is currently on the run, with Interpol issuing a ‘blue corner’ notice against him in connection with the case. Three FIRs, on charges such as rape, molestation, intimidation, blackmailing, and threats, have been filed against Prajwal.
Meanwhile, Devaraje Gowda has refuted allegations of leaking the videos. He had contested in the 2023 Assembly elections against JD(S) MLA from Holenarasipura, HD Revanna. Gowda is known for his rivalry with the Revanna family and often held press conferences against the family members, reports The Hindu.
Revanna, Prajwal’s father, is presently incarcerated on accusations of kidnapping a woman, who is a mother of three.