Latest news with #Revanna
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
JD(S) leader Revanna alleges increase in crimes in Hassan district, blames district police
Janata Dal (Secular) leader H.D. Revanna alleged that crimes have increased in Hassan district since the Congress came to power in the State. Addressing a press conference here on Monday, Mr. Revanna said the police officers had failed to maintain law and order. He said the police administration had collapsed completely in the district, and Superintendent of Police had been working as an agent of the Congress party, accusing an Additional Superintendent of Police of supporting unlawful activities in the district. 'The JD(S) will stage a protest against the police administration soon,' he said. The police officers were targeting the JD(S) workers, and false cases were booked against them. On the other hand, murders and theft cases were on the rise, he said. Referring to the stampede during the celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru's (RCB) maiden IPL title win, Mr. Revanna said 11 people died because of wrong decisions by the government. He also criticised the suspension of police officers, including Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B. Dayananda. The police had been busy the previous night. The government conducted the event without taking the police opinion, he alleged. 'Why did the government organise the event in such a hurry,' he asked. The JD(S) leader demanded the government release compensation of ₹50 lakh to the families of the deceased. 'The Karnataka State Cricket Association and RCB should also pay ₹25 lakh each to the families. The government should ensure such incidents do not repeat,' he added. MLAs C.N. Balakrishna and Swaroop Prakash, former Minister H.K. Kumaraswamy, and former MLA K.S. Lingesh were present.
Indian Express
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Trial starts in second rape case against former Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna with victim's statement
The trial in a second case of rape registered against former Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna commenced in a special court in Bengaluru on Wednesday with the victim, a former zilla panchayat member in his Parliament constituency, making a partial statement about the alleged sexual assault. The 'victim is present before the court and the evidence of the victim is recorded in part through in-camera proceedings as PW-1 and during the course of her chief examination she has requested for short accommodation due to ill-health,' the special court noted while posting the further chief examination of the victim to June 2. On May 12, the special court for cases against elected representative scheduled May 28 as the date for the start of the trial in the second of four cases of rape and sexual harassment of women registered in 2024 against the former JDS MP from Hassan. In the second case, Prajwal Revanna is accused of sexually assaulting a former Hassan zilla panchayat member who approached him for official favors. The charges of rape were framed in the case on April 22. He pleaded not guilty and sought a trial. The special court issued summonses on May 12 to the first batch of witnesses, including the survivor of the alleged sexual assault, to facilitate the start of the trial on May 28. In September 2024, a Special Investigation Team of the Karnataka police filed a chargesheet against Prajwal Revanna for the repeated rape of the zilla panchayat member over a three-year period. Prajwal Revanna, 33, has been charged for repeated rape of a woman under Indian Penal Code section 376(2) (n), for criminal intimidation under section 506, for sexual harassment by demanding sexual favors under section 354(A) (1) (ii), for assault of a woman under 354(B), for voyeurism under 354 (C), and for destruction of evidence under 201, and for video recording and sharing the incidents under section 66 (E) of the Information Technology Act. The former zilla panchayat member has also accused Prajwal Revanna of recording videos of the sexual assaults, which were allegedly used to threaten and blackmail her into cooperating with his demands. When the trial commenced on Wednesday, the victim provided a brief statement about her ordeal and did not deviate from her earlier statements, the prosecution indicated. Cross-examination in first case The trial in the first case of rape, where the former MP is accused of sexually assaulting a domestic worker employed at his farm house, got underway on May 2 and the victim in that case and members of her family were cross-examined on Wednesday regarding their chief statements made earlier in the trial. 'PW-1 to PW-4 are present and they are fully cross-examined by the learned counsel for the accused,' the special court noted regarding the proceedings in the first case. The former MP is also accused in a case of sexual assault on a cook who worked for the Revanna family and the alleged sexual harassment of the cook's daughter. The rape charges against Prajwal Revanna emerged at the end of April 2024 following the leak of explicit videos and images through pen drives distributed in Hassan ahead of the April 26, 2024, Lok Sabha polls. He was arrested on May 31, 2024, on his return from Germany. An SIT was constituted to probe the sexual assault videos that were allegedly accessed from Prajwal Revanna's phone by a car driver and leaked to his political rivals. The former MP has been in prison for almost a year. Prajwal Revanna lost the Hassan seat in the polls held on April 26, 2024, against the backdrop of the mass release of the pen drives with videos of alleged sexual assaults involving him. He was fielded as the joint candidate of the JDS and the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Indian Express
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
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.
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
GESCOM officials taken to task over inflated Gruha Jyothi bills
Chairperson of the State Guarantee Schemes Implementation Committee H.M. Revanna lambasted Gulbarga Electricity Supply Company (GESCOM) officials for issuing inflated electricity bills to beneficiaries under the Gruha Jyothi scheme, questioning how the excess amounts will be refunded. 'Money once gone to the government and a body once taken to the crematorium never return,' Mr. Revanna told the officials during a review meeting at the Zilla Panchayat office here on Tuesday. The meeting saw heated exchanges after committee member Nirmala raised concerns that thousands of homes in Kusanoor and Rajapur, despite being registered under the Gruha Jyothi free electricity scheme, have received electricity bills amounting to ₹25,000. 'Poor people are being harassed, with threats of legal action for non-payment. I too have received a bill of ₹25,000,' she said. Echoing her concerns, district committee president Chandrika Parameshwar handed Mr. Revanna a bill receipt showing a charge for ₹35,000 issued by GESCOM. Angered by the revelation, Mr. Revanna demanded an explanation asking why such exorbitant bills are being sent under a scheme meant to offer relief. GESCOM Executive Engineer Mathapati explained that the inflated amounts were due to a backlog of bills issued at once and that units consumed under the Gruha Jyothi scheme have been retroactively adjusted, resulting in refunds totalling ₹17 lakh being processed. Unconvinced, Mr. Revanna insisted that officials work with a more humane approach to solving issues. 'Work with compassion. Conduct on-site camps in affected areas, resolve the complaints, submit a detailed report and take action against those responsible,' he instructed them. Legislative Council member Tippannappa Kamaknoor questioned why Kalaburagi has such a large number of unregistered Gruha Jyothi consumers. 'Why are we lagging? Why is 100% coverage not achieved? You need to spread awareness about the guarantee schemes among the people,' he said. When Deputy Commissioner Fouzia Taranum intervened to clarify, Mr. Revanna retorted, 'What's the point of giving explanations in the meeting? A review should have been conducted beforehand.' MLA Allamprabhu Patil, MLC Jagadev Guttedar, Zilla Panchayat CEO Bhanwar Singh Meena and other officials and committee members were present at the meeting.
