Karnataka HC denies anticipatory bail to Prajwal Revanna in sexual harassment case

The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed the anticipatory bail application filed by former JD (S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing allegations of rape and sexual assault, in connection with a fourth case registered against him.

The fourth case was registered against 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.

Prajwal’s advocates wished to withdraw the anticipatory bail plea on the ground that the chargesheet had been filed in the case, but Justice M Nagaprasanna did not allow them to withdraw the petition, and instead dismissed the plea.

Revanna is currently under judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara Jail here, and a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was formed to probe 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 had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in this year’s Lok Sabha 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.

The 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 Revanna, who is currently out on bail, and had questioned Prajwal’s mother Bhavani, who has got anticipatory bail.