Trigger Warning: Mention of sexual violence
Suraj Revanna, the 36-year-old Janata Dal (Secular) MLC (Member of Legislative Council), brother of suspended lawmaker Prajwal Revanna, was sent to 14 days of judicial custody on June 23, 2024. Suraj Revanna was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old male party worker on the pretext of giving him a job and expanding his opportunities.
Suraj Revanna was accused of sexually assaulting a 20-year-old male party worker on the pretext of giving him a job and expanding his opportunities.
The accused’s father and former minister HD Revanna called it a ‘conspiracy’ and continuously stated that he has ‘faith in the judiciary.’ After an initial probe by the state police, the case was handed over to the Crime Investigation Department which ordered the custody for a detailed probe. His brother Prajwal Revanna is already in judicial custody on charges of rape and sexual assault of multiple women.
The case was registered against Suraj on June 22 at Holenarasipura Rural police station in Hassan after the JD(S) worker complained of sexual assault. He told the director general of Police that the assault occurred at Revanna’s farmhouse in Ghannikada on June 16. The Member of the Legislative Council rejected all such allegations and called them politically motivated.
The complainant JD(S) worker was booked for allegedly trying to extort Rs 5 Crore from the party leader a day before he filed the complaint. He reportedly threatened the MLC to give him the money or he would file a “false” sexual assault complaint against him.
Suraj Revanna, post the FIR is booked under sections 377 (Unnatural offences), 506 (Criminal Intimidation), 342 (Wrongful confinement), 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code according to the Superintendent of Police (SP) of Hassan, Mohammed Sujeetha.
Suraj Revanna in his defence said, ‘They are part of a political conspiracy. An FIR has also been lodged against the complainant. Let the truth come out. I have faith in the law of the land.’
The complaint states how the alleged victim was invited to Suraj’s farmhouse on the pretext of discussing political growth and opportunities but was sexually assaulted instead. The FIR reads ‘Suraj touched me inappropriately and promised political favours in exchange for my cooperation. Despite my objection, he proceeded with the assault, threatening me throughout the ordeal.’ The victim further narrates that he was threatened, and offered a job and 2 Crore rupees to stay silent about the incident by a close aide of Suraj Revanna.
The victim further narrates that he was threatened, and offered a job and 2 Crore rupees to stay silent about the incident by a close aide of Suraj Revanna.
Suraj’s aide H L Shuvkumar also filed a complaint against the JD(S) worker stating that the man wanted a job and demanded 5 crores from Suraj. When denied, he threatened to file a false case against him. The counter FIR was filed under IPC sections 384 (extortion) and 506 (criminal intimidation). This happened days after Prajwal Revanna was sentenced to judicial custody by a special court in Bengaluru for sexually assaulting multiple women.
The feudal Revanna family
Prajwal Revanna and Suraj Revanna are grandchildren of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, a Rajya Sabha MP. They come from a highly influential political family in Karnataka, that has asserted its presence in all four houses of the legislature. Their father, HD Revanna is thw Holenarasipura MLA, and their uncle is the former Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy. Their mother Bhavani Revanna, though she hasn’t been able to secure a seat in politics yet, is said to be the real seat of power in the Revanna household.
Bhavani became famous after a video of her angry rant at a motorcyclist who bumped into her car went viral. Her classist attitude and entitlement became crystal clear and her instruction to her subordinates to ‘burn the motorcycle’ caused ripples. Her name also got involved in Prajwal Revanna’s case as a facilitator of the heinous acts he committed.
The Revanna household has enjoyed a feudal hold over Hassan for decades. They make the important decisions of the area and treat the people as second-grade citizens. It is a classic case of modern feudalism where a family rules supreme and assumes the role of a Lord. From benevolence to arrogance, their tone and stature shifted directly to their assumption of political prowess.
Sexual exploitation by Suraj Revanna and the aftermath
Suraj Revanna’s sexual exploitation of the JD(S) party workers in their 20s is a classic case of the powerful exploiting the have-nots in every possible sense. While his brother is accused of rape and kidnap, Suraj is accused of sexually assaulting multiple men.
Suraj’s aide who filed a counter-FIR against the complainant has also accused Suraj Revanna of sexual exploitation and threatening. In an interview, he recalls all the horrific details of the sexual assault and the aftermath. He states how the initial complainant had shared his story of the assault at Suraj’s farmhouse and confessed that he had deterred him from taking a legal route. He also confirms that he told Suraj about the intentions of the first complainant and was involved in whatever followed.
After filing the counter-FIR, he went missing and when he re-surfaced, he told his side of the story. He is also a victim of sexual assault and was afraid to speak about it, but when he saw his friend muster the courage to stand against a patriarch, he joined hands. He alleges, ‘I never shared it with my family. How could I? It is easier for women to come forward (compared to men.) How would I explain what happened?’
The saga of exploitation did not end here, Suraj’s aide remembers for over the years four other young party workers have confided in him. ‘Four of them’ he says, ‘shared their stories with me. I dissuaded them from talking about it. I coped with the trauma without sharing it with anyone, and I told them not to talk about it.’
The silence of the Man
In patriarchy, we have normalised the rape of women and silenced the men. Its cost is huge for both genders. While sexual exploitation can happen to anyone, men feel a tinge of shame to share their stories. The hesitance comes from the stigma that a man is “strong”, how could the guardian of a woman be raped and not defend himself?
The expectation from masculinity and the façade that society has constructed is stifling the voices of men.
The expectation from masculinity and the façade that society has constructed is stifling the voices of men. The repeated assaults, assertion of power, and silence are dangerous for a society we hope will be equal someday. Equality needs all genders to be able to speak, and support must be extended to all victims irrespective of their gender.
The differential role of the media in both the Revanna brothers’ cases
Prajwal Revanna became the favourite headline of all mainstream media outlets after the videos were exposed, but Suraj Revanna’s acts are met with eerie silence. The media’s attitude towards covering sexual exploitation against male citizens is alarming. No debates are burning the nation with the demand for justice for Suraj’s victims.
The unfair and unequal media attention and consequent social shushing is the reason why most of these cases go unnoticed and why there is still no legal vocabulary for the rape of a man. Society must move beyond checking the gender of every violent act, only the crime must be weighed and punished.
Suraj Revanna’s acts prove his trust in the system to protect his likes. The precedence is there but it is time to shake the foundation of saving the patriarch. The perpetrators of sexual violence must meet the same end, irrespective of their family attachments, political pressure, and sexual orientation.
The unfair and unequal media attention and consequent social shushing is the reason why most of these cases go unnoticed and why there is still no legal vocabulary for the rape of a man.
With more victims coming to the fore, the CID has collected DNA samples from both the victims and Suraj Revanna. It hopes to find some evidence in the recent incident of sexual assault. While we hope for justice, it is time we check our attitudes towards such news that go unnoticed or are silenced without proper investigation.
