The Karnataka High Court orally noted today that there seemed to be flaws in the trial court’s bail decision for Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Revanna in the kidnapping case against him.”This seems to be defective. There is a clear error on the face of the record,” Justice Dixit noted.
Karnataka: Today (31st May): The Karnataka High Court observed that the trial court’s decision to grant bail to Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Revanna in a kidnapping case, noting potential errors in the legal interpretation used.
READ ALSO: JDS Leader HD Revanna’s Bail Granted| Kidnapping Case
Justice Krishna S. Dixit took issue with the trial court’s handling of the case, particularly its interpretation of Section 364A (kidnapping for ransom) of the Indian Penal Code.
As a result, Justice Dixit issued a notice to HD Revanna, seeking his response to a petition requesting the cancellation of his bail.
The bail cancellation petition was initiated by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which the State formed to investigate allegations of kidnapping and sexual abuse involving HD Revanna and his son, Prajwal Revanna. The High Court has scheduled a hearing on this matter immediately following the notification to HD Revanna.
Earlier this month, HD Revanna was granted bail in two separate cases involving allegations of sexual assault and kidnapping. The SIT has challenged this bail in the High Court.
READ ALSO: SIT Challenges Bail of HD Revanna in Karnataka High Court
During the court proceedings, Special Public Prosecutor and Senior Advocate Prof Ravivarma Kumar argued that the trial court’s bail order was flawed. He highlighted an urgent need for the High Court to review the matter, citing the serious nature of the allegations, including a claim that a witness was kidnapped to prevent her from filing a complaint.
In a kidnapping case, a local court granted bail to HD Revanna, an MLA from Janata Dal . The case related to the Karnataka sex scandal, which involves leaked pornographic videos, and his son Prajwal Revanna is one of the accused.
HD Revanna held in the custody of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for three days after being arrested on May 4. The court required him to post a bail bond of Rs. 5 lakh. It is worth mentioning that HD Revanna, the son of HD Deve Gowda, a former prime minister.
Allegations suggest that he assisted in the abduction of a victim who sexually assaulted and the case involves his son Prajwal Revanna.
Justice Dixit agreed that there seemed to be a significant error apparent on the record and scheduled the case for priority hearing. He emphasized the importance of addressing these severe allegations promptly.
The judge acknowledged the strength of the argument after reviewing the trial court’s order granting bail.
“This seems to be defective. There is a clear error on the face of the record,” Justice Dixit noted.
Kumar then pressed the High Court to prioritize the hearing, suggesting it take place the following week.
“There’s an urgency here. A witness was kidnapped to prevent her from filing a complaint,” he stressed.
Kumar warned that failing to address such actions could undermine the ability of individuals to lodge criminal complaints.
Despite some opposition from the defense, the court decided to expedite the case.
“Let’s issue an emergent notice to the respondent since a plausible case has been presented regarding the interpretation by the lower court judge of Section 364A IPC… Schedule the hearing immediately after the notice is served,” the Court directed.
Furthermore, HD Revanna filed a petition before the High Court to dismiss the two First Information Reports (FIRs) against him, which are currently pending before Justice Dixit.
READ ALSO: Karnataka MLA HD Revanna Remanded to Judicial Custody by Bengaluru Court Until May 14
The allegations against HD Revanna’s son, Prajwal Revanna, involve the circulation of over 2,900 videos showing sexual assaults on several women, which were shared on social media and other platforms.
Recently, allegations of sexual abuse against Prajwal Revanna surfaced following the circulation of over 2,900 videos portraying the assault of numerous women on social media platforms. The police registered an FIR against both HD Revanna and his son on April 28 at the Holenaraseepur town police station in Hassan district, based on a complaint from one of the victims.
The severity of the matter led to the establishment of a Special Investigation Team, headed by senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer BK Singh, tasked with conducting a comprehensive investigation into the incident. As part of their probe, the SIT has issued a summons for Prajwal Revanna to present himself for questioning.
However, amidst the public outrage and mounting pressure, Prajwal Revanna is reported to have fled to Germany shortly after the conclusion of the April 26 polls in Karnataka. He has not presented himself before the SIT for questioning, leaving many unanswered questions and fueling speculation about his involvement in the alleged sexual assaults.
The alleged kidnapping and sexual abuse have raised grave concerns about the safety and security of women.
The political and public uproar that followed led to Prajwal Revanna fleeing to Germany right after the April 26 Lok Sabha polls in the state. He returned to India in the early hours of March 31 and was arrested upon his arrival.
