Janata Dal-Secular leader Suraj Revanna, the brother of Prajwal Revanna who is facing charges of sex crimes allegations by multiple women, has alleged that he is being threatened with a false case of sexual assault by a man in Karnataka’s Hassan.

The complaint has been filed by Suraj Revanna’s friend Shivkumar against two men. Shivkumar alleged that Chethan and his brother-in-law approached him and demanded Rs 5 crore, threatening that he would file a sexual abuse case against Suraj Revanna if their demands were not met.

Shivkumar said that Chethan had first approached him to help him find a job. Shivkumar gave him Suraj Revanna’s number and asked him to contact Suraj.

But he started blackmailing Shivkumar and Suraj after he failed to get a job, the complaint said.

Soon after the case was filed, Chethan also appeared on a private channel and that he had been sexually abused by Suraj at a farm house.

This comes days after former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was sent to judicial custody. The 33-year-old grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former PM H D Deve Gowda had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent polls.

The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.

JD(S) suspended him from the party following the cases filed against him. The BJP has distanced itself from Revanna and the investigation. Its state unit boss, S Prakash, said, “We, as a party, have nothing to do with the videos and neither do we have any comments to make…”

A police case has also been filed against his father, HD Revanna, for allegedly kidnapping a woman who said she had been raped by both men. The father, a former MLA and Public Works Department Minister, was given bail in the kidnapping case on May 14 and the sexual assault case after that.

Indore:

 The CBI has booked an Indore-based man for alleged sexual abuse and intimidation of a Australian minor through Instagram, officials said Monday.

The agency had received the information from Interpol that Ankur Shukla, a resident of Indore, Madhya Pradesh, allegedly befriended a girl from Australia through social media platform Instagram, they said.

In his conversation with the minor girl, Shukla allegedly “groomed her” into sending him, her objectionable images and videos, the CBI has said in a statement.

“It was further alleged that over a period of time when the said minor girl was reluctant to share images and videos, the accused started threatening her that he would release her images and videos to her friends and family members, as a result, she continued to share the videos and images under duress,” CBI spokesperson said.

The girl later blocked Shukla on Instagram but he kept intimidating her using WhatsApp, they said.

“CBI developed the inputs by utilising its expertise to geolocate the accused and to zero-in on his exact whereabouts and also to gather evidence. Searches were conducted at the premises of the accused which led to recovery of incriminating materials like computer hard disk, mobile phone etc,” the spokesperson said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bengaluru:

JD(S) patriarch HD Deve Gowda, who turned 92 on Saturday, broke his silence on the sexual abuse charges leveled against his grandson and MP Prajwal Revanna. He stated that he has no objection to the action taken against him if found guilty. However, he mentioned that the cases against his son, JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, who is facing charges of sexual harassment and kidnapping of a woman, were ‘created’. He refrained from further commenting as the matter is sub judice.

Recently, Gowda announced his decision not to celebrate his birthday and requested well-wishers and party workers to wish him from wherever they are.

“… I don’t want to comment on things that are going on in the court regarding Revanna. Prajwal Revanna has gone abroad. Regarding that, Kumaraswamy (Gowda’s other son and state JD(S) chief) has, on behalf of our family, said it is the duty of the government to take action in accordance with the law of the land,” Gowda said.

Addressing reporters, the former PM said, “There are several people connected to these sexual abuse cases. I don’t want to mention anyone’s names. Kumaraswamy has stated that those involved in this matter should face action, and the affected women should get justice and compensation.”

“There is no objection from us to taking action against Prajwal. But people have come to know the facts about the allegations made against Revanna, how the case has been created. In one case, he has been granted bail, and in another case, the judgment is expected day after tomorrow… I don’t want to comment on it,” he said, concurring with Kumaraswamy’s statement that if found guilty, no one should be spared.

Prajwal (33) is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The scandal has sparked a political storm with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaged in a slugfest.

Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against him in an effort to bring him back.

He was the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s joint candidate from the Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls on April 26.

Meanwhile, Gowda’s 66-year-old son, Revanna, a former Minister, has been granted interim anticipatory bail from a court here in a sexual harassment case in which his son Prajwal is also an accused.

Asked whether there was a conspiracy to defame and politically scuttle his family, Gowda said, “It is true… considering all that has happened, several people are involved. I won’t mention names. Kumaraswamy will address what action needs to be taken.”

Responding to a query on BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda’s allegations that Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar is behind the circulation of a pen drive containing explicit videos involving Prajwal Revanna, Gowda said Kumaraswamy will respond to all of this.

“We have seen in the media what Devaraje Gowda has said. Kumaraswamy, as the party’s state President, has been actively responding to all this. He will speak. I won’t at this point. I had campaigned for the Lok Sabha polls. On June 4, after the Lok Sabha poll results are announced, I will meet with you (media),” he added.

Gowda also appealed to media persons campaigning near his house to end it. “I also appeal to your owners.”

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)