Bengaluru: In a significant development, officials of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) have proposed to subject Hassan Member of Parliament (MP) Prajwal Revanna to a ‘manhood test’ in connection with the sexual assault case.
A preliminary examination was conducted on Monday, June 3, at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Medical Research Institute within the Bowring Hospital campus in the city.
The medical examination involved the collection of sperm, pubic hair, and blood from Prajwal Revanna for the manhood test. The next step will be to seek permission from the court to proceed with the test, after which a team of experts will be formed. This team is expected to submit its report to the SIT.
SIT officers escorted Prajwal to Bowring Hospital in an ambulance from the CID headquarters around 11:30 am. Following a medical examination that lasted more than three hours, he was returned to the CID office for further interrogation. The manhood test is considered necessary to determine if the accused is physically capable of committing the alleged sexual acts in a rape case.
Sources have indicated that such tests are common in rape cases. The SIT has also seized a pillow and mattress from the MP’s residence in Hassan Nagar, where traces of hair and sperm were reportedly found in the bed cover. This evidence, along with the results of the manhood test, is expected to play a crucial role in the investigation.
Due to objections raised by doctors at Bowring Hospital, the SIT has sought permission from the court to conduct another medical examination of Prajwal. The hospital doctors have pointed out legal complications with some of the medical tests prescribed by the SIT, clarifying that they cannot be conducted without court permission.
In a separate development, there is a possibility that the SIT may allow Prajwal Revanna, who is also the Janata Dal (Secular) candidate for Hassan, to watch television to learn the results of the Lok Sabha election. Prajwal had requested the court to allow him to watch TV on the day the results were announced. It is understood that the authorities may permit him to view news channels for a few hours in the SIT chief’s chamber.
The SIT has also informed the Lok Sabha Speaker about the arrest of MP Prajwal Revanna in the rape case, forwarding a report to the Speaker’s office through the Karnataka Bhavan officials in Delhi.
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