Karnataka HC to hold in-camera hearing on bail pleas of Prajwal Revanna in sexual assault case

PTI, Sep 10, 2024, 8:27 AM IST

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday decided to hear in-camera the bail and anticipatory bail applications submitted by former MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of rape and sexual assault.

A single judge bench of Justice M Nagaprasanna stated: “This will be heard in-camera, it cannot be heard in open court. We will secure the order and do it (hear in-camera). It should not be that any person is put to ignominy at any cost.” The move to conduct the hearing privately followed a request from Special Public Prosecutor Professor Ravivarma Kumar, who had previously urged that the matter be heard in-camera to safeguard the identity of the victim.

During the latest hearing, the court was informed that a chargesheet had been filed against Revanna in a special court, and a copy was submitted to the High Court.

Revanna is currently under judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara Jail here, and a Special Investigation Team is probing four separate cases against him.

He was arrested by the SIT on May 31 upon arrival at Bengaluru Airport from Germany in connection with a case registered at the Holenarasipura Town Police Station. He was remanded to custody the following day.

Revanna’s bail application relates to this case, while his anticipatory bail plea is in connection with a separate case registered by the SIT here.

Revanna had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent polls.

The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal Revanna were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26.

JD(S) suspended him from the party following the cases filed against him.

In the first case registered against him at the Holenarasipura Town police station in Hassan on April 28, Revanna is accused of sexually harassing a 47-year-old former maid. He is listed as accused number two, while his father and local MLA, H D Revanna, is the primary accused.

The second case against Prajwal Revanna was filed by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) on May 1 after a 44-year-old former member of the Hassan Zilla Panchayat accused him of repeatedly raping her.

The third case pertains to rape of a woman in her 60s from Mysuru’s K R Nagara, who was also a domestic help. The victim’s son had initially filed a kidnap case, alleging abduction of his mother, at the K R Nagar police station on May 2. In this kidnap case, the SIT had arrested H D Revanna, who is currently out on bail, and had questioned Prajwal’s mother Bhavani Revanna, who has got anticipatory bail.

The fourth case was registered against Prajwal Revanna, accusing him of sexual harassment, on June 12 at cyber crime police station of CID in Bengaluru. In this case he has been booked for sexual harassment, stalking and criminal intimidation, and violation of privacy of IT Act. The complainant in this case is a woman, who was allegedly sexually harassed over a video call.