Trial in second rape case against former Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna to begin on May 28
A special court in Bengaluru has scheduled to start the trial of former MP Prajwal Revanna on May 28 in the second of four rape cases filed against him. The trial in the first case against the Hassan MP began before the special court on May 2.
In the second case, Revanna, 33, is accused of sexually assaulting a former member of Hassan zilla panchayat who approached him for official favours. The charges, including rape, were framed on April 22, following which Revanna pleaded not guilty and sought a trial. He engaged an advocate for his defence on May 5.
Last week, the special court issued summons for the appearance of the first batch of witnesses in the case, including the survivor of the alleged sexual assault, on May 28 to facilitate the start of the trial. 'In the meantime, issue a fresh body warrant against the accused for his production physically before the court on the next date of hearing. For trial, call on 28.05.2025,' the court said.
In September 2024, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police filed a chargesheet against the former Janata Dal (Secular) MP for repeatedly raping the zilla panchayat member and sexually harassing her over three years. The woman said he recorded videos of the act, and blackmailed her into cooperating with his demands.
Revanna was charged under Indian Penal Code sections 376(2) (n) (repeated rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 354(A) (1) (ii) (demanding sexual favours), 354(B) (assault of woman), 354 (C) (voyeurism), and 201 (destruction of evidence), besides under section 66 (E) (video recording and sharing) of the Information Technology Act.
On May 2, the Karnataka High Court dismissed a plea filed by Revanna's mother Bhavani which sought a stay on the trial on the grounds that they had not been able to engage an advocate and that the trial court had been unfair. The court rejected Bhavani's plea by pointing out that the Revanna family had enough means to engage a lawyer.
'On the guise of denial of fair trial if an attempt is made to stall the proceedings, such deliberate attempts need to be dealt with iron hands…,' Justice Vishwajith Shetty said in his order.
In the first case of rape against Prajwal Revanna, in which the trial commenced on May 2 after the high court order, the former MP is accused of multiple sexual assaults on a woman who was employed as a domestic worker at his home. Revanna is also accused of sexually assaulting a cook who worked for the family, and sexually harassing the cook's daughter.
Prajwal Revanna, against whom charges of rape emerged at the end of April 2024 following the leak of explicit videos and images through pen drives distributed in Hassan ahead of the Lok Sabha polls on April 26, was arrested on May 31 following his return from Germany.
An SIT was constituted by the Karnataka government to probe the allegations. The former MP has been in prison since May 31, 2024, following his arrest.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Quashing FIR in minor's rape risks safety, dignity of survivor: Delhi HC
The Delhi high court has refused to quash a rape case involving a minor despite the victim's voluntary request, warning that permitting such withdrawals under the pretext of social pressures would set a dangerous precedent and embolden perpetrators to exploit victims' vulnerabilities to escape accountability. Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, in a strongly worded ruling, said that courts must not be seen as endorsing the idea that victims should withdraw genuine complaints to maintain social acceptability or preserve personal relationships, such as marriage prospects. 'To quash the present FIR, given the facts, the nature of allegations, and the ground on which quashing is sought, would gravely compromise the protected interests of society and pose a serious risk to the dignity and safety of sexual assault survivors,' the court said in its May 26 ruling, which was released later. Such a decision, the judge underscored, would send a harmful message that perpetrators of heinous crimes can coerce victims into silence by preying on their social circumstances and thereby evade the legal consequences of their actions. The FIR in question, registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape, kidnapping, intimidation, and insulting a woman's modesty, and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, accused the man of repeatedly raping a minor girl, burning her genitalia, filming obscene videos and threatening her with acid attacks. The accused had approached the court seeking to quash the FIR, claiming that the complainant had voluntarily agreed to settle the matter and that both families had mutually resolved to not pursue any further legal action. The victim, who appeared in court, told the judge that she wished to withdraw the complaint as its pendency was jeopardising her plans to marry another person. But the court made it clear that such settlements in serious criminal cases, particularly those involving minors, cannot form the basis for extinguishing legal proceedings. The judgment said the reasons cited by the complainant reflected not free will but a 'more complex reason hidden in the background of societal pressure.' Justice Sharma noted that the FIR was not impulsively filed but was a product of 'due deliberation,' and quashing it would amount to legitimising the manipulation of victims' rights through coercion or pressure. 'One judgment, particularly in a sensitive case such as this, can set a precedent that reverberates across society. If courts were seen as supporting the view that a victim must first withdraw her complaint to be deemed 'eligible' to marry or resettle, it would perpetuate the deeply entrenched imbalance of gendered power dynamics,' it held. The court further stressed the need for a justice system that upholds survivors' dignity rather than placing the burden on them to choose between justice and social acceptance. Delhi Police, represented by additional public prosecutor Naresh Kumar Chahar, had also opposed the petition, arguing that the case involved grave allegations of sexual and physical violence and that compromise between the parties could not override the seriousness of the offence. The ruling comes just days after another coordinate bench of the high court had allowed quashing of an FIR involving online harassment of a minor girl, where the complainant had cited similar concerns. The court had directed the accused to perform community service, while also flagging the broader issue of digital abuse and the misuse of social media to exert control over victims. In contrast, justice Sharma's ruling firmly shuts the door on quashing in cases involving allegations of extreme physical and sexual violence against a minor, reinforcing the judiciary's role as a safeguard against coercive settlements that mask deeper societal pressures.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Jafrabad murders: 55 days on, charge sheet names 13, blames ‘mosque attack, firing by forces' rumours
1 2 Kolkata: The April 12 violence in Murshidabad which led to the deaths of a septuagenarian and his 44-year-old son in Jafrabad was engineered by a mob after a rumour was spread deliberately that a nearby mosque had been attacked and that security personnel had resorted to firing, says the Bengal police SIT charge sheet filed on Friday. The 983-page charge sheet, filed 55 days after the murders, names 13 persons and mentions that some of the perpetrators had a feud with the victims — Harogobindo Das and his son Chandan — over a piece of land. The 13 accused have been arrested from Bengal, Odisha and Jharkhand. All of them are in judicial custody. The Das family has already moved the Calcutta High Court seeking a CBI probe into the incident. ADG (law & order) Jawed Shamim said: "We collected enough evidence against each accused, and we are confident of securing a conviction." The SIT probe was led by DIG (Murshidabad) Syed Waquar Raza. T he charge sheet says the father and son duo had reasoned with the rampaging mob twice and delayed the attack. The third time, however, the two were dragged out of their home and hacked to death infront of their families. Even after the murders, the perpetrators did not leave the locality and went on to vandalise and burn more houses in the area before fleeing. The SIT has charged the 13 accused of murder, armed robbery, rioting, and has also slapped smaller charges of criminal trespass, housebreaking and criminal mischief. The accused have also been charged of illegal possession of firearms under Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act. Conviction for murder leads either to a life behind bars or death. Armed robbery can also lead to a life term, if convicted. Police have cited 60 witnesses, and several statements were recorded before a magistrate under BNSS 183. The evidence also includes CCTV footage and telephone intercepts. Police sources said they would try to ensure an in-custody trial in the case. Bengal govt has appointed special prosecutor Bivas Chatterjee — who has successfully argued in four rape murder trials leading to death sentences last year — for a quick trial. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Eid wishes , messages , and quotes !
Indian Express
3 hours ago
- Indian Express
Murshidabad violence: Police file chargesheet, name 13 in murder of father and son
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the West Bengal Police, probing brutal murders of father-son duo during the communal violence that broke out in Murshidabad district in April, on Friday filed a 983-page chargesheet against 13 individuals. Hargobindo Das (72) and his son Chandan Das (40) were hacked to death by a mob in Jafrabad village on April 11, amid protests over the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in the district, which left at least three people dead and many injured, besides forcing hundreds to flee their homes. In the aftermath of the violence, police had arrested over 300 suspected miscreants in connection with over 60 FIRs at various police stations in Murshidabad. 'Charges have been framed against 13 individuals,' Syed Waquar Raza, DIG, Murshidabad, who heads the SIT told The Indian Express. Additionally, the SIT has also reportedly named 50 individuals as witnesses to provide testimony in the matter. Out of the 13 accused named in the chargesheet, 11 had already been arrested by the police in connection with the case. The 13 accused persons have been charged under various BNS Sections, including Section 191 (1) (2) (3) (rioting), Section 332 (trespass), Section 331 (house breaking) (1) (2) (3), Section 310 (2) (dacoity), Section 334 (mischief), and Section 103 (2) (murder) /3 (5), along with Section 25/27 of the Arms Act. – With PTI inputs Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics. With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences. Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More
