The Supreme Court has deferred the Karnataka government’s request to cancel the anticipatory bail of Bhavani Revanna for two weeks. Revanna, mother of the suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who is facing rape charges, was granted anticipatory bail in a related kidnapping case. The delay allows further preparation by the involved parties, as the apex court seeks additional details on the case status.
During the proceedings on Friday, Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed Bhavani Revanna’s counsel, Balaji Srinivasan, to submit an affidavit detailing the case’s progress. Srinivasan informed the bench that a charge sheet had been filed, other accused had received bail, and Revanna had cooperated with the investigative authorities.
The bench decided not to delve into the merits of the matter at this stage and chose instead to wait for the affidavit before proceeding. The matter has been adjourned and is set to be revisited in two weeks.
The Supreme Court’s decision follows its earlier refusal on July 10 to overturn the Karnataka High Court’s June 18 decision granting Revanna anticipatory bail. The High Court had justified its decision by noting Revanna’s extensive cooperation with the Special Investigation Team (SIT), including her response to 85 questions during the investigation. The court had emphasized the need to avoid media trials and cautioned against unnecessary arrests, particularly of women who play essential roles in their families.
The High Court also dismissed the SIT’s claims that Revanna had provided misleading answers during her interrogation. These factors contributed to the decision to grant her bail, with specific conditions restricting her from entering Mysuru and Hassan districts, except for investigative purposes.
This legal saga ties into the broader scandal involving Prajwal Revanna, who is in custody for allegedly sexually abusing multiple women and recording the assaults. The case garnered significant public attention after pen drives containing explicit videos allegedly featuring Prajwal were circulated in Hassan around the time of the Lok Sabha elections on April 26.
Prajwal Revanna was arrested by SIT officials on May 31 upon his return from Germany, where he had fled following the elections. An INTERPOL ‘Blue Corner Notice’ had been issued for him at the behest of the SIT, facilitated by the Central Bureau of Investigation.
