Bhavani Revanna receives pre-trial bail until June 10

The HC’s decision to grant her bail mandates that she must fully cooperate with the investigation by the SIT.

The Karnataka high court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna, mother of suspended Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, in connection with a kidnapping case linked to the sexual abuse allegations against her son.

Last week, the SIT had issued a notice to Bhavani asking her to be present at her home for questioning in the kidnapping case linked to allegations of sexual abuse against her son (PTI)

The interim bail has been granted until June 14 when the court will hear the case. Justice Krishna S Dixit ordered Bhavani to remain in Bengaluru, and she has also been restricted from entering KR Nagar or Hassan, to ensure that the investigation proceeds without any interference or influence from the involved parties.

The High Court’s decision to grant her bail mandates that she must fully cooperate with the investigation by the special investigation team (SIT), which is probing the alleged sexual abuse charges against Prajwal Revanna.

Last week, the SIT had issued a notice to Bhavani asking her to be present at her home for questioning in the kidnapping case linked to allegations of sexual abuse against her son. However, when a team reached Bhavani’s house, she was not present.

Later, the SIT also carried out searches at various locations including Mysuru, Hassan, Bengaluru, Mandya and Ramanagara. The searches were also done at her relatives’ houses to track her, but she was not found.

Bhavani has been accused of conspiring to abduct a former house help, who is an alleged victim of sexual abuse, to prevent her from giving statements against her son and former MP of Hassan, Prajwal Revanna.

During the hearing on Thursday, the special public prosecutor, Ravivarma Kumar, claimed that Bhavani was the ‘mastermind’ of the entire abduction episode and that even though the SIT secured a non-bailable warrant as she had failed to appear before the investigating officer, as per an assurance given by her in a letter to the SIT.

However, senior advocate Sandesh J Chowta disputed this argument claiming the SIT had not served notice to her and she had written to the SIT of her own accord.

A single judge bench of Justice Krishna S Dixit granted the interim order, saying, “Direction is issued to state and police neither to apprehend and arrest the petition or keep her in detention. This is following stringent conditions, this is an order granting bail and not awarded to petitioner and not be celebrated.”

Further, the court directed Bhavani to remain present before the office of jurisdictional investigating officer by 1pm on Friday and cooperate with the investigation. In the guise of investigation, she shall not be retained in the office beyond 5pm, the order said.

The court also ordered that the warrant of arrest issued by an ACMM court be kept in abeyance. The magistrate court, in its order dated May 31, rejected the application filed by Bhavani seeking anticipatory bail following which she was absconding.

Meanwhile, the High Court adjourned the proceedings of HD Revanna’s plea seeking to quash the FIR against him to June 1, as well as the SIT’s plea to cancel his bail until June 14. HD Revanna is facing two cases: one of sexual harassment and the other of kidnapping.

The Karnataka government formed a SIT to probe the cases against Prajwal on the recommendation of the Karnataka State Commission for Women chairperson Nagalakshmi Chowdhary, who wrote to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah to investigate the matter.

Prajwal, facing sexual abuse allegations, returned from Germany and was immediately arrested by the SIT at the Kempegowda International Airport, here on May 31. He had left the country on April 27, a day after polling took place in his constituency of Hassan. However, Prajwal claimed that his visit was pre-planned.

The allegations against Prajwal came a week before elections took place in Hassan, when pen drives containing purported videos of women being sexually assault were circulated.

The videos allegedly showcase Prajwal Revanna sexually abusing women.

Following his arrest, special court in the city remanded him to police custody till June 10. The SIT is currently probing four separate cases against the former Hassan MP.