In what has become a major twist in a politically charged kidnap case, H.D. Revanna, a Janata Dal (Secular) MLA and former Minister, has been granted bail by A Special Court for Elected Representatives. The decision came after the 66-year-old was apprehended by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) for his alleged involvement in the abduction of a woman. This case is intricately linked with serious accusations levied against his son, Prajwal Revanna, a Member of Parliament from Hassan, regarding sexual abuse.
The ruling, delivered by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat, marked the end of H.D. Revanna’s three-day police custody period, which concluded on May 8. Following this custody, Revanna was presented at the XVII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, where he was remanded to a seven-days’ judicial custody expiring on May 14.
The origin of these tumultuous events lies in a complaint lodged by the son of the alleged victim, in which he asserts that his mother was sexually abused by Revanna’s son, Prajwal. The woman in question was purportedly kidnapped in an attempt to preclude her from bearing witness against the MP in the ensuing legal proceedings, according to statements made by the police.
As the SIT intensifies its scrutiny, it has also taken Sathish Babanna, a known confidante of Revanna, into custody over similar concerns. Babanna’s arrest predated Revanna’s detention and led to the rescue of the alleged kidnap victim from a farmhouse situated in Mysuru’s Hunsur taluk. Revanna himself was arrested subsequently at his father and former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda’s residence in Bengaluru.
The courtroom witnessed a battle of legal wits with senior counsel C.V. Nagesh defending Revanna, while Special Public Prosecutor Jaina Kothari and Additional Public Prosecutor Ashok Naik represented the SIT. Nagesh vehemently argued that the arrest was the result of a political conspiracy and cited a recent video where the victim reportedly denied being abducted by Revanna or his family.
In response, Kothari and Naik highlighted that the victim’s accounts had been duly recorded under specific sections of the CrPC and contradicted Nagesh’s statements. They called into question the validity of the bail application itself, but Judge Bhat directed the discussion back to the case’s merits.
Deliberations continued with Nagesh questioning the portrayal of the incident as a kidnapping and suggesting that the victim had left her home willingly. On the other hand, Naik emphasized the alleged threats to the victim and her family from the accused, leading to calls for police protection for the victim.
The SIT’s legal team also sought to clarify misinformation, contesting Nagesh’s claim that the victim was related to Revanna and correcting the timeline of the recorded statements. After an exchange over procedure and right to subsequent arguments, Judge Bhat decided not to permit further submission of written documents by the SIT and reserved his decision for 5 pm on the same day, when Revanna’s bail was granted.
The case has sent ripples through the political landscape, with Prajwal Revanna entangled in allegations of sexually abusing multiple women. The controversy has incited a fierce back and forth between the Congress, in power, and the alliance comprising the BJP and JD(S). Amidst the scandal, an Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued for Prajwal Revanna, who left for abroad just after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka, in which he was the BJP-JD(S) alliance’s joint candidate.
The Congress has established a SIT to pursue the allegations, while the BJP and JD(S) have demanded a CBI probe and sought action against those responsible for circulating explicit videos. As the scandal unfolds, the public remains gripped by the unfolding narrative of political intrigue and judicial proceedings.
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