The Karnataka High Court dismissed the bail and anticipatory bail pleas of suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna in a sexual assault case. The court rejected Revanna’s arguments regarding inconsistencies and delays in the complaint, citing evidence of threats to the victim and findings from forensic reports.
Bengaluru: Today, on October 21st, the Karnataka High Court dismissed the bail and anticipatory bail pleas of suspended Janta Dal (S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of rape and sexual assault. The court, led by Justice M Nagaprasanna, reserved its decision after hearing the parties involved.
Revanna, who was arrested earlier, had argued that no substantial allegations were made against him, highlighting a delay in the filing of complaints. His counsel, Senior Advocate Prabhuling K Navadgi, argued, “There is no allegation at this stage against me. The allegation is against my father of sexual harassment.” He further questioned the four-year delay in lodging the complaint, stating that there was no clear explanation from the complainant.
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Navadgi also pointed out inconsistencies in the complainant’s statements, stating that there were changes made between her initial and further statements. He emphasized,
“Whether this lady and accused can be traced to the video is also negative. Why, when she went to the television channel, did she not mention Section 376 (rape)?”
During the hearing, the court examined evidence related to the case, including FSL reports which did not match the purported video. Navadgi argued that no explicit allegations were made in the initial complaint about the video recording, and the FSL report proved that the accused could not be linked to the footage.
Navadgi further asserted that no incriminating evidence was found on Revanna’s phone, despite the authorities seizing it and that his driver’s phone only contained some photos and videos, which the defense attributed to Karthik, Revanna’s driver.
On the other hand, Special Public Prosecutor Ravivarma Kumar, appearing for the state, argued that the delay in filing the complaint was due to the constant threats issued by Revanna to the victim. He highlighted that the complainant’s further statement explained the threats and detailed the victim’s daughter’s ordeal, which was corroborated by the FSL report.
Kumar also mentioned that Revanna had made efforts to silence the victim and had fled the country at one point, which should disqualify him from bail. He further emphasized that Revanna did not surrender his phone, which could contain crucial information.
The court also reviewed allegations under the Information Technology Act, where the FSL report on the video was found to be genuine and not morphed. The prosecution argued that Revanna’s voice samples matched the recordings, providing further evidence of his involvement.
Revanna faces multiple charges, including Sections 376(2)n, 376(2)k (committing rape repeatedly and while in a position of control), and Sections 354(a) and 354(b) under the IPC, along with Section 66E of the IT Act. Despite his counsel’s efforts, the court ultimately denied bail, marking a major step in the ongoing legal battle against the suspended leader.
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