JD(S) MLA H D Revanna gets interim bail in sexual harassment case

Bengaluru: A court here on Thursday granted interim bail to JD(S) MLA and former Karnataka Minister H D Revanna in a sexual harassment case.

The case of sexual harassment of a 47-year-old house help was registered against Revanna and his son and MP Prajwal Revanna at the Holenarsipur town police station in Hassan district on April 28. Prajwal reportedly left for Germany on April 27 and is still at large.

The complainant had claimed that the father-son duo had sexually abused her at the 66-year-old MLA’s house. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing the alleged sexual abuse charges against Prajwal and related cases, had sought custody of the former minister.

Revanna’s advocates sought anticipatory bail in the case. However, the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court (ACMM) heard the matter and gave interim relief to Revanna till Friday. The SIT had sent two notices to Revanna, son of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, and Prajwal to join the investigation, but both of them skipped it.

On Thursday Revanna applied for anticipatory bail and the SIT objected to this and sought his custody or that he be remanded in judicial custody. The court, after hearing both sides, decided to hear the matter again on Friday and till then gave relief to Revanna.

A Special Court for Elected Representatives on Monday granted bail to Revanna in case where he is accused of having kidnapped one of the women allegedly abused sexually by Prajwal, as seen in the leaked videos. Revanna was then released from jail.

He had been arrested by the SIT on May 4 in that case. The 33-year-old Prajwal is facing charges of multiple instances of sexually abusing women. The scandal has raised a political storm, with the ruling Congress and BJP-JD(S) engaging in a slugfest.

He was BJP-JD(S) alliance’s joint candidate from Hassan Lok Sabha segment, which went to polls in the first phase on April 26. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice issued against Prajwal in an effort to bring him back to the country to face the law has not yet had the desired effect.