Prajwal Revanna cases: Police get forensic verification of digital evidence

“We have his phones and other electronic gadgets and there is enough evidence to implicate him,” a senior police officer told The Indian Express.

Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, was defeated in the Lok Sabha elections this time when he contested again from Hassan. A day before polling, hundreds of video clips showing Prajwal allegedly indulging in sexual assault of women were circulated via pen drives in the constituency. He then left for Germany on April 27 and remained holed up there to evade arrest.

Karnataka police issued multiple Blue Corner Notices to locate Prajwal, who later released a video saying he would return to India and prove his innocence. On his arrival at Bengaluru on May 31, the SIT arrested him under charges of sexual assault and rape. Two days ago, his bail plea was rejected by a Bengaluru court.

Before his arrest, police had sent the video clips for forensic examination to the State Forensic Science Laboratory in Bengaluru. On confiscation of his gadgets, these were also sent to the FSL for testing. Police also obtained records of all the phone numbers he had been using over the years, a source in the SIT said.

Police have pulled Prajwal’s call data record of the past two years to link him to the rape survivors.They also have testimonies from 20-30 people who will become witnesses and corroborate the alleged crimes.

“Now, we have statements from his contacts and acquaintances as evidence to prove that he committed the crimes he is accused of,” the police officer said.

The SIT has not corroborated if it has the call recordings of the accused with the victims and their families. “At this stage of the investigation, we cannot reveal intricate details of the evidence that we have collected,” a senior police officer said.

Prajwal has also been speaking to the police as he is under interrogation, officers said. “He has not confessed to the crimes. But he has shared details of his whereabouts with us. We have linked this to the digital evidence and have a strong case,” a police officer said.

During the course of the investigation into Prajwal’s alleged crimes, his brother and JD(S) MLC Suraj Revanna was accused of sexually assaulting a party worker. He was booked and arrested.