Kidnapping Case: K’taka HC Reserves Order on Plea Challenging HD Revanna’s Bail

The Karnataka High Court reserved its order on Thursday regarding the plea filed by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) seeking the cancellation of bail granted to Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Revanna, who is accused of kidnapping a woman.

A single bench of Justice M. Nagaprasanna noted that the facts of the case against Prajwal Revanna were extremely serious and suggested that bail should not have been granted by the special MP/MLA court.

Appearing for SIT, Senior Advocate Ravivarma Kumar presented the facts of the case and argued that bail should not have been granted in such a serious matter. He contended that the trial court had erred in granting bail and that it should be canceled.

In contrast, Senior Advocate CV Nagesh, representing Revanna, argued that the prosecution was not merely seeking the cancellation of bail but challenging the order granting it. He pointed out that the charge of kidnapping was unsustainable since the victim was not a minor and that the charge of abduction was also invalid due to the lack of deceit. “She was a maid servant in the house. She was called. There was no deceit, no threat… no detention,” he stated.

Nagesh further argued that there was no evidence suggesting that the domestic help, the victim of rape and sexual assault in the Prajwal Revanna case, was abducted at the behest of HD Revanna or his wife. After hearing both parties, the Court reserved its order.

Revanna is also facing accusations in a sexual assault case and was granted bail in that matter as well, although that case was not addressed in today’s proceedings. The case against HD Revanna is linked to sexual abuse allegations against his son and suspended JD (S) leader, Prajwal Revanna. The allegations surfaced after over 2,900 videos depicting the sexual assault of several women were circulated, including on social media. Prajwal Revanna remains in prison.