BJP leader Devaraje Gowda remanded to judicial custody in molestation and rape case

Hassan (Karnataka): BJP leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda, arrested for alleged molestation and rape, was on Saturday remanded to 14 days judicial custody.

The BJP leader was arrested at the Gulihal toll gate by the Hiriyur Police in Chitradurga district late Friday night. He was arrested on a tip-off by the Hassan Police.

Earlier on Saturday, he was taken to Holenarasipura in Hassan district, where the incident had allegedly taken place, for questioning, police said.

He was then produced before a Magistrate, who remanded him to 14 days' judicial custody.

An FIR was registered against Gowda on a complaint by a 36-year-old woman from Hassan district, who alleged that he molested and raped her on the pretext of helping her sell her property.

A case of molestation was registered against Gowda on April 1. On Friday, the woman once again approached the police and alleged that she was also raped by him, a police officer told PTI.

The Holenarasipur police arrived in Chitradurga on Saturday morning. After the legal process, the Hiriyur police handed over Gowda to Holenarasipura police.

Gowda had unsuccessfully contested the 2023 assembly election on the BJP ticket and was defeated by JD(S) MLA and former minister H D Revanna.

He had also claimed that he alerted the BJP leadership last year about Prajwal Revanna's alleged sexual abuse of several women, and cautioned the saffron party not to give a Lok Sabha ticket to the JD(S) MP from Hassan.