Sex video scandal: Karnataka HC rejects Prajwal Revanna’s bail plea in fourth case too
Bengaluru, Nov 22 : The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed a bail petition filed by suspended JD-S leader and the sensational sex video scandal prime accused Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda, in the fourth case against him.
The court had earlier rejected the former MP's bail pleas in connection with three cases and the order on the fourth case - of the alleged rape of a former Zilla Panchayat member at his office - was pending.
A bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna passed the order in the case, rejecting the bail plea.
The former Zilla Panchayat member accused Revanna of sexually assaulting her over three years and recording videos of the act, which was allegedly used to threaten and blackmail her into cooperating with the former MP's demands.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) is probing four cases against Prajwal Revanna among which three are rape cases and a case of recording of video of a victim of sexual harassment.
Arun, the counsel for Revanna, submitted to the court that he wanted to withdraw the bail petition from the court. However, the bench maintained that the bail plea could not be withdrawn on the day when it is scheduled to pronounce orders. The bench further stated that it is not relying on the charge sheet submitted in the case while giving the order.
"The bail plea is dismissed on the basis of the complaint and the Supreme Court judgment," the court stated.
The Supreme Court on Nov 11 dismissed a bail petition filed by Revanna.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Revanna, contended that opponents orchestrated a conspiracy to gain political mileage. "I was earlier an MP, I was contesting for MP and I lost because of all this," he said, adding that a charge sheet has been filed against Revanna and he has been behind bars for four months.
Refusing to entertain the matter, a bench, headed by Justice Bela M. Trivedi, dismissed Revanna’s special leave petition seeking bail. Further, the Bench, also comprising Justice S.C. Sharma, said that it would not pass any order granting liberty to apply afresh for bail after a period of six months.
In an order passed on October 21, the Karnataka High Court had rejected Revanna’s plea for bail in connection with two rape cases and a case of recording of video of a victim of sexual harassment.
One of the victims from Hassan had filed a rape case against Prajwal Revanna in Bengaluru Cyber police station. The trial court had earlier rejected the bail in the matter.
Another case is related to the sexual assault of a maid at the farmhouse in Holenarasipura. The disturbing video of the incident has gone viral on social media during the Lok Sabha election, with the footage of the aged maid, pleading with him to spare her as she is an elderly lady, who served food to his father and other elders of the family as she was sexually assaulted, had stirred outrage.
The victim was kidnapped after the video surfaced on social media and the police had arrested Revanna's father and JD-S MLA H.D. Revanna. Presently, he is out on conditional bail.
The police had also issued an arrest warrant against Prajwal's mother Bhavani Revanna in the case. However, she managed to obtain anticipatory bail. The bail order was challenged by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the Supreme Court and the apex court upheld the bail order passed by the Karnataka High Court.
Another case relates to forcing a woman from Hassan to strip and recording her video when she approached Revanna for her son's admission to a reputed school. Both cases were registered at the Cyber police station in Bengaluru.