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Journalism of Courage
Two Bengaluru courts, which granted bail to JD(S) legislator H D Revanna in two separate cases of abduction and sexual harassment, underlined one crucial aspect in their orders — that the serious offences are not prima facie against Revanna but his son and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, accused of sexually assaulting several women.
Essentially, the orders make bringing a case against Prajwal key to ensuring the custody of Revanna for the protection of victims. The prosecution had contested Revanna’s bail plea on the grounds that he could intimidate the victims and tamper with evidence.
“Though a serious allegation is levelled against the petitioner’s son, the same cannot be a ground to reject the bail petition (of Revanna) unless it is pointed out that he would be a menace to the society,” a special MP/MLA court had said on May 13, while granting bail in the case of alleged abduction and illegal detention of a woman. The woman had figured in one of the leaked videos where she was allegedly seen being raped by Prajwal.
“Apart from the stray allegation in the complaint that the accused (Revanna) had insisted the victim at the say of the petitioner, no materials are forthcoming,” the court said.
In the complaint, the victim’s son had alleged that a man named Satish Babanna took his mother from their house saying Revanna wanted to meet her. The woman was a former house help at Revanna’s farmhouse.
In the second order granting bail to Revanna on May 20 in a sexual assault case, another special court underlined that the serious offence of rape under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code can only be made out against Prajwal.
“It once again endorses that the accused No 1 (Revanna) is not charged with the alleged offence under Section 376 of IPC, it is only the accused No 2 (Prajwal). It also endorses that the victim in her statement has stated that it is the accused No 2 who allegedly committed the offence under section 376 of the IPC and not accused No 1,” the court held.
“Basically, at this point, Revanna is getting the benefit of doubt at the cost of his son. Once the case against Prajwal is brought, their (Revanna’s) legal strategy will have to change,” an official involved in the case told The Indian Express.
Sources said in the absence of a common charge of conspiracy under Section 120B of the IPC between Revanna and his son, both their cases will have to be dealt with separately.
In the sexual assault case against Revanna, the rape charge was added after he moved for bail. At the time of filing of his bail application, only charges of sexual harassment were made out against him under Section 354 of IPC, which are bailable offences.
In both the bail cases, the prosecution lawyers also argued at length that Revanna could intimidate witnesses and highlighted the allegations of corrupt practices aided by Revanna in Prajwal’s election in 2019 as Hassan MP.
The Karnataka High Court ruling in September 2023 had set aside the election, disqualifying Prajwal for making false disclosures in his election affidavit. However, the SC stayed the effect of the disqualification while the HC ruling itself continues to hold.
