Sexual assault: SIT approaches Karnataka High Court challenging bail to JD(S) MLA HD Revanna
Bengaluru: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) has approached the Karnataka High Court challenging the bail to former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda’s son and JD(S) MLA HD Revanna in a sexual assault case registered by a former maid.
Sources confirmed that the petition has been filed by the SIT in this regard and the Karnataka government has appointed former Advocate General Prof. Ravivarma Kumar as the Special Public Prosecutor to argue for the SIT.
Senior counsel CV Nagesh is most likely to appear for HD Revanna, who is the father of the main accused Prajwal Revanna in the sex videos case that has taken the state by storm.
The 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate’s (ACMM) court had granted bail to HD Revanna recently.
The counsels representing the SIT had put forth vehement arguments to send HD Revanna to judicial custody in the case. They had also argued that the ACMM court does not have jurisdiction to deal with the case as the prosecution has added rape charges in the case.
To recall, HD Revanna recently came out of prison in a kidnapping case involving a victim of the sex video scandal in which JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna can be seen sexually abusing the woman.
The prosecution had argued that, “The victim claimed that she had left her house, as she was unable to bear the harassment at the hands of HD Revanna and his son Prajwal Revanna. The house allotted to her under the Ashraya scheme was taken back, but a complaint to the District Commissioner in this regard made no difference.”
“HD Revanna and Prajwal Revanna both committed sexual assault, and the court should not see the case against Revanna as separate from that of Prajwal Revanna. Under no circumstances should he be granted bail. Since the rape charge has been added to the case, the trial should be conducted in the session’s court,” the prosecution argued.
“Repeated atrocities were committed against the same victim. The father and son committed the same offence. The first accused, HD Revanna, is protecting the second accused, his son Prajwal Revanna. The first accused helped his son to escape from India,” the prosecution had submitted.
CV Nagesh, the counsel for HD Revanna, had claimed that the complaint in this regard was not lodged by the complainant.
“It is a false case created intentionally. The victim does not know what sexual assault is,” he argued.
“The rape charge against Revanna has been added only now. The alleged act was not committed on the day when the complaint was lodged. It did not occur a week ago or even a year ago. The complaint states that the alleged act was committed years ago,” he had submitted.
“The victim did not register the complaint at the Holenarasipur Police Station. Instead, the Sub-Inspector from Holenarasipur Police Station went to Bengaluru and got the complaint written as wanted by the victim. The station book mentions that at 11 P.M. on April 24, one victim had come from Bengaluru who was in a distraught state,” Nagesh stated.