Court sends Prajwal Revanna to 14-day judicial custody in sexual assault case

The 33-year-old grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent polls.

Suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna was sent to 14-day judicial custody by a court in Karnataka in the sexual assault and rape case, news agency ANI reported.

The order was pronounced by the 42nd Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) special court for representatives on June 18.

In a related case of abduction of one of the victims of the MP's sexual assaults, Revanna's mother Bhavani Revanna was granted anticipatory bail by the Karnataka high court on June 18.

The anticipatory bail was given with the conditions that she won't visit Mysore and Hassan under any circumstances, except for police investigation.

According to Live Law, the single judge bench led by Justice Krishna S Dixit said, "I have marched a step forward in protecting a woman from unnecessary or avoidable custody. In our social setup they are hub of the family."

Last week, the 42nd ACMM had remanded the former MP to the custody of the special investigation team (SIT) till June 18.

The court had on June 10 sent him to 14 days of judicial custody, but the SIT today sought a body warrant against him in connection with a cybercrime case.

The 33-year-old grandson of JD(S) patriarch and former prime minister H D Deve Gowda had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the recent Lok Sabha elections.

SIT officials arrested Revanna soon after he landed at Bengaluru's Kempegowda International Airport from Germany on May 31.

He had left for Germany on April 27, 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.

He was arrested in a case registered against him in Holenarasipura in Hassan district on April 28. He was accused of sexually harassing a 47-year-old former maid. He is listed as accused number two, while his father and MLA, H D Revanna, is the primary accused.

Prajwal Revanna has been booked in three cases of sexual assault. There are also charges of rape against him.

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

With inputs from PTI