The National Commission for Women on Thursday said that a woman approached it alleging that she was forced by three individuals claiming to be Karnataka Police officials to file a false complaint against Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, The News Minute reported.

The woman, however, was not among the three women who have already lodged complaints in the case.

“One woman complainant came to the Commission to register a complaint against three individuals dressed in civil uniform, allegedly introducing themselves as Karnataka Police officials and forcing her to give a false complaint in this case,” the women’s panel said.

The National Commission for Women added that the woman claimed that she received calls from unknown numbers threatening her and coercing her to file a complaint.

“It has come to light that this complainant was forced by a group of individuals to file a complaint under the threat of potential harassment and false implications,” it said.

The women’s rights panel asked Karnataka Director General of Police Alok Mohan to provide security to the woman.

On April 27, the Congress government in Karnataka had formed a Special Investigation Team to probe allegations of sexual abuse against Revanna.

This came after videos of alleged sexual assault against several women, allegedly recorded by Revanna himself, surfaced ahead of Lok Sabha polls in the constituency on April 26.

Prajwal Revanna is believed to be staying in Munich, Germany, where he flew on the intervening night of April 27 and April 28 using his diplomatic passport.

An unidentified senior official of the Special Investigation Team told The News Minute that he is unaware of the woman mentioned by the National Commission for Women.

“The SIT [Special Investigation Team] came to know about this woman only day before yesterday after NCW [National Commission for Women] forwarded the complaint to SIT,” he said. “No one from SIT has contacted her before and she had not filed any complaint with us.”

Meanwhile, Janata Dal (Secular) leader and Revanna’s uncle HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday accused the Special Investigation Team of threatening the women allegedly abused in the case with false cases to extract false statements, The News Minute reported.

“The investigating officers are going to the doorsteps of the victims and threatening them,” he alleged. “Tell us, isn’t it a fact that the SIT officers are threatening the victims with false prostitution cases against them? Is this how the probe is being conducted.”

A delegation of the party, which is contesting the Lok Sabha elections in alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party, met with Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on Thursday and submitted a memorandum seeking to transfer the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation, reported The Hindu.

The three FIRs

So far, three women have filed complaints against Prajwal Revanna alleging sexual assault.

The third first information report was filed based on a complaint by a woman who was a zilla panchayat member and used to visit legislators to seek funds for development works, reported The Indian Express.

The woman has alleged that she was raped and harassed by Prajwal Revanna between January 1, 2021 and April 25, 2024.

In the third first information report, Revanna has been booked for rape, assault and voyeurism – under sections 376 (2)(n)(commits rape repeatedly on same woman), 354(a)(1) (physical contact and advances involving unwelcome and explicit sexual overtures), 354(b) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 354(c) (voyeurism) – of the Indian Penal Code.

He has also been booked for violation of privacy under the Information Technology Act.

On May 4, the Karnataka Police arrested Prajwal Revanna’s father and Janata Dal (Secular) MLA HD Revanna in connection with the alleged abduction of a woman in a sexual abuse case. Prajwal Revanna is also an accused in the case.

In this case, the woman, who worked at the Revanna household three years ago, had allegedly been abducted to prevent her from testifying against Prajwal Revanna. The first information report was filed based on a complaint by the woman’s son in Mysuru district.

In his complaint, the man alleged that his mother is one of the women in the videos of alleged sexual abuse by Prajwal Revanna that had come to light in late April. He said that a man named Satish Babanna, a close aide of the Revanna family, had come to their house on the night of April 29 and coerced his mother into accompanying him.

On April 28, HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna were booked in another case by the Karnataka Police for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation. The first information report was based on a complaint by a woman, who worked in the Revanna household for three-and-a-half years.