Karnataka HC Grants Anticipatory Bail To Bhavani Revanna In Kidnapping Case

The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted conditional anticipatory bail to former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna’s mother Bhavani, in a kidnapping case connected to the sexual abuse allegations against her son.

Bengaluru: In the latest development in the kidnapping case linked to the sexual abuse allegations against Prajwal Revanna, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday granted anticipatory bail to former JD(S) MP Bhavani Revanna’s mother. While granting the bail, the court stated that Bhavani Revanna had already answered 85 questions, and it is unfair to say that she was not cooperating with the Special Investigation Team (SIT).
The SIT had sought her custody in connection with the kidnapping of a house-help in K R Nagar in Mysuru district, after she failed to attend questioning.

Justice Krishna S Dixit, while allowing Bhavani’s petition seeking anticipatory bail, urged that media trials be avoided and underlined the importance of not making unnecessary arrests of women, noting their central role in families.

The judge also highlighted that the allegations of non-cooperation were unconvincing since Bhavani had already provided extensive responses during her interrogation. The Court dismissed the SIT’s argument that she had given misleading answers.
On June 7, the court had granted interim anticipatory bail to Bhavani with conditions preventing her from entering Mysuru and Hassan districts, and it was then extended on June 14.

In addition to earlier conditions, the Court on Tuesday permitted the SIT to take her to Hassan and Mysuru districts for their investigation.
Bhavani is accused of trying to prevent the woman, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Prajwal, from filing a complaint.

Meanwhile, a Bengaluru court has extended the judicial custody of Prajwal Revanna for another 14 days. His custody was extended by the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate court, after which the Karnataka Police’s SIT took him to Parappana Agrahara prison.

Police arrested the 33-year-old former JD(S) MP at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport when he arrived India from Germany on May 31.

Prajwal found himself in hot water following a scandalous reveal of sexual misconduct affairs right before the Lok Sabha elections on April 26 in Hassan. Graphic videos bearing his image were discovered in distributed USB drives, sparking widespread concern. Not long after touching down at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport on May 31, following his return from Germany, the SIT authorities took him into custody.

It’s intriguing to note that his journey to Germany embarked on April 27, the day after the elections in Hassan. An international ‘Blue Corner Notice’ was promptly instigated by Interpol, at the SIT’s appeal through the Central Bureau of Investigation to help pinpoint his whereabouts.