On Saturday, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and advocate G Devaraje Gowda was taken into custody on suspicion of molestation and rape and he has been remanded for 14 days. The arrest of the BJP leader took place at Gulihal toll plaza in Chitradurga district by Hiriyur police late Friday night. He was arrested after a tip-off from Hassan police.
Police said they questioned him early morning on Saturday at Holenarasipura in Hassan district where the incident is believed to have happened. After that he was presented before a magistrate who remanded him in custody for 14 days.
An FIR has been registered against Gowda while a complaint came from a woman aged 36 residing Hassan District saying, she had been raped and molested by the accused under the guise of assisting her to sell her property.
On April 1, he was lodged against Gowda for allegedly molesting someone.
Holenarasipur Police arrived in Chitradurga early in the morning on Saturday. Hiriyur police then handed over Gowda to Holenarasipur police through legal procedures. In 2023 assembly elections, Gowda vied unsuccessfully as B.J.P candidate only to be defeated by HD Revanna, JDS MLA and former minister.
He also complained last year that he had talked with BJP leadership about multiple women being sexually abused by Prajwal Revanna despite warnings that it would not give Lok Sabha tickets to JD (S) MP from Hasana.
