In a significant legal setback, the Karnataka High Court on Friday denied anticipatory bail to suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna, amidst ongoing investigations into multiple sexual assault allegations against him. Justice M. Nagaprasanna delivered the verdict, emphasizing the gravity of the accusations detailed in the complaint.
Prajwal Revanna, a former Member of Parliament and grandson of JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda, is currently facing charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe, stalking, and criminal intimidation, as well as offenses under the Information Technology Act.
The court’s decision came shortly after the Special Investigation Team (SIT), tasked with investigating the allegations, filed a charge sheet in the fourth case against Revanna. Despite attempts by Revanna’s counsel to withdraw the bail plea on the day of judgment, the court proceeded with its ruling, citing precedent and the nature of the allegations as foundational to its decision.
This judicial rebuff follows a recent denial of bail by the Supreme Court in another of the sexual assault cases involving Revanna. Earlier, he had also faced rejections of his bail applications by the Karnataka High Court in related cases.
The allegations against Revanna came to light following the dissemination of pen drives allegedly containing videos of the assaults, circulated in the Hassan area ahead of the recent Lok Sabha elections. After the polls, during which Revanna lost to Congress candidate Shreyas Patel, he briefly left for Germany. Upon his return, he was arrested by the Karnataka police mere minutes after his arrival.
