Karnataka HC grants anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna in kidnapping case

Karnataka High Court on Tuesday, 18 June, granted anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna, mother of former JD(S) MP and rape accused Prajwal Revanna, in a kidnapping case involving one of the victims of her son’s sexual abuse.

The court emphasised that Bhavani had already answered 85 questions during the investigation, making it unfair to claim she was not cooperating with the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which is probing sexual abuse cases against Prajwal.

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 7 June, the court granted interim anticipatory bail to Bhavani with conditions preventing her from entering Mysuru and Hassan districts, and it was then extended on 14 June.

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.

Prajwal is currently in SIT custody for allegedly sexually abusing several women and capturing the assaults on video.

The cases of sexual abuse came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on 26 April.

SIT officials arrested Prajwal soon after he landed at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Germany on 31 May. He had left for Germany on 27 April, a day after Hassan went to the polls. A 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on his whereabouts had earlier been issued by the Interpol, following a request by the SIT via the Central Bureau of Investigation.