On Friday(14th June), The Karnataka High Court has reserved judgment on Bhavani Revanna’s anticipatory bail plea related to a kidnapping case linked to sexual abuse allegations against her son, Prajwal Revanna. The court has extended interim anticipatory bail for Bhavani Revanna until a final verdict is reached, preventing her immediate arrest.
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BENGALURU: On Friday(14th June), The Karnataka High Court has reserved its judgment on the anticipatory bail plea filed by Bhavani Revanna, who is implicated in a kidnapping case linked to the sexual abuse charges against her son, Prajwal Revanna. Prajwal, a suspended leader of the Janata Dal (Secular), faces serious accusations of sexually assaulting multiple women.
Justice Krishna S Dixit, presiding over the case, announced that the interim anticipatory bail previously granted to Bhavani Revanna will remain in effect until the court delivers its final verdict. This interim relief ensures that Bhavani Revanna will not face immediate arrest.
“Anticipatory bail will remain in effect pending the forthcoming final decision.”
– stated the court, adding a crucial condition to the bail.
Petitioner (Bhavani Revanna) shall not hover in any place in Mysore and Hassan districts. This condition shall not come in the way of police taking the petitioner to such places for the purpose of investigation only.
The court’s warning specifically restricts Bhavani Revanna from visiting Mysore and Hassan districts, areas central to the ongoing investigation. The directive followed a marathon hearing that extended late into the evening on Friday, emphasizing the gravity and complexity of the case.
Bhavani Revanna stands accused of orchestrating the kidnapping of a woman who was sexually assaulted by her son, Prajwal Revanna. The alleged motive behind the kidnapping was to prevent the victim from lodging a formal complaint against Prajwal.
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Prajwal Revanna, currently under arrest, is at the center of a scandal involving allegations of sexual assault on numerous women. Disturbing visuals of these assaults were recorded in over 2,900 videos, which surfaced after pen drives containing the footage were distributed in public locations across Karnataka last month. The release of these videos triggered a massive political uproar and an intensive manhunt for Prajwal, who had reportedly fled to Germany amid the chaos.
Upon his return to India on May 31, Prajwal Revanna was promptly arrested. His custody has been extended by a trial court in Bengaluru, allowing the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to retain him until June 18 as they continue their inquiries into the widespread allegations.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Prof. Ravivarma Kumar fervently urged the Court not to extend Bhavani Revanna’s interim bail any longer. He asserted that Bhavani Revanna is the “kingpin” behind the victim’s abduction, necessitating immediate action.
“What responsibility does the Court bear in handling such a significant case where hundreds of women have been subjected to rape allegations? This woman appears to be deeply involved! Isn’t she a mother? She should have questioned her son, Prajwal Revanna! How could she have allowed such videos and photographs to be present in her home?”
-SPP Kumar passionately argued, highlighting the gravity of the accusations.
SPP Kumar emphasized that Bhavani Revanna and her family wield significant influence, posing a risk of evidence tampering and witness intimidation if she continues on anticipatory bail. The abduction, he argued, was an effort to tamper with evidence in the sexual abuse case against her son.
Furthermore, Kumar pointed out that Bhavani Revanna had breached her bail condition to cooperate with the investigation by providing false information to the investigators. He stressed the necessity of taking her into custody to confront her with specific technical records, retrieve her mobile phone, and identify the owners of certain SIM cards.
“If we retrieve Bhavani Revanna’s phone, it could uncover the truth. While she may be innocent, her phone could provide clarity on her innocence.”
– SPP Kumar stated, underscoring the importance of obtaining her phone for the investigation.
On the other hand, Bhavani Revanna’s counsel, Advocate CV Nagesh, countered these arguments, asserting that custodial interrogation was unnecessary for investigating aspects related to digital records, mobile phones, or SIM cards. He maintained that Bhavani Revanna had complied with the conditions of her interim bail by appearing before the investigating officers as directed.
Nagesh argued that the anticipatory bail application was necessary because the alleged offense, under Section 364A of the Indian Penal Code (dealing with kidnapping for ransom), is non-bailable and cognizable.
He questioned the necessity of custodial interrogation, stating-
“Can they accuse me (Bhavani Revanna) of absconding?”
After extensive arguments from both sides, the Court decided to extend Bhavani Revanna’s interim anticipatory bail until a final judgment is issued.
ALSO READ: [Abduction Case] Bhavani Revanna Seeks Anticipatory Bail in High Court
The Court noted-
“In cases like this, typically the Court might have delivered its judgment in open court, but in this instance, further examination is deemed necessary given the submissions made.”