The Aryavarth Express
Agency (Bengaluru): A Special Court for Elected Representatives granted bail on Monday to JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, who was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in connection with a kidnap case. The 66-year-old former Minister was implicated in the alleged abduction of a woman linked to sexual abuse accusations against his son, Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna.
Special court judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat granted conditional bail to Revanna after hearing the case. Revanna’s three-day police custody ended on May 8, following which he was remanded to seven days’ judicial custody until May 14 by the XVII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
The case was initiated following a complaint by the woman’s son, alleging his mother was sexually abused by Prajwal Revanna. The woman was allegedly kidnapped to prevent her from testifying against Prajwal. The SIT also arrested Revanna’s confidant Sathish Babanna on May 3 and rescued the woman from a farmhouse in Mysuru’s Hunsur taluk on May 4, hours before Revanna’s arrest at his father’s residence in Bengaluru’s Padmanabhanagar.
Revanna’s senior counsel C V Nagesh argued that the arrest was politically motivated, citing a video in which the victim denied being abducted by Revanna or his family. However, Special Public Prosecutor Jaina Kothari and Additional Public Prosecutor Ashok Naik countered, stating that the victim had provided statements against Revanna under sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC.
Nagesh argued that the complaint lodged by the victim’s son mentioned she left with a known individual, which should not be interpreted as kidnapping. He also challenged the validity of the sections invoked by the SIT, arguing there was no evidence of ransom or coercion, and requested immediate bail relief for Revanna.
Kothari clarified that the victim is not related to Revanna and reiterated the timing of the recorded statements. Despite requesting time to submit additional documents, the judge reserved the order and granted bail to Revanna at 5 pm.
Prajwal Revanna, the 33-year-old JD(S) MP and grandson of JD(S) patriarch Deve Gowda, faces multiple charges of sexual abuse. The scandal has sparked political controversy, with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) in a heated dispute. Prajwal reportedly left India on April 27, a day after the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in Karnataka. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued to facilitate his return.
While the Congress government has formed an SIT to investigate the cases, the BJP and JD(S) — NDA partners — have called for a CBI investigation and action against those circulating explicit videos.