The Supreme Court of India recently refused to grant bail to Prajwal Revanna, a former Member of Parliament (MP) from the Janata Dal (Secular) party, who is facing serious charges involving rape and sexual assault. The charges came to light earlier this year when videos showing alleged assaults by Revanna surfaced publicly, leading to multiple accusations against him. Following this, the Karnataka government set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the allegations. This team has since filed a comprehensive charge sheet, documenting several allegations against Revanna.
In April of this year, several videos emerged that appeared to show Revanna involved in sexual acts with multiple women. These videos triggered a significant public response, as the incidents in the recordings reportedly involved acts without consent, raising questions about potential abuse of power and violation of trust. Amid the public and political uproar, the Karnataka government moved swiftly, establishing the SIT to thoroughly investigate the claims. Soon after, a 47-year-old woman, who previously worked as Revanna's domestic helper, came forward with a complaint, accusing Revanna of rape. Her complaint further alleged that he had recorded the act on his mobile phone without her consent.
These revelations were followed by more complaints, including one from the domestic worker's daughter. According to her, Revanna pressured her to undress during a video call and took screenshots without permission. The accusations made waves across Karnataka, as Revanna is a prominent figure and part of a powerful political family; he is the grandson of former Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and son of H.D. Revanna, a state legislator in Karnataka.
In light of the allegations, Revanna’s legal team, led by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, argued for bail, suggesting that the accusations were politically motivated. Rohatgi claimed that the complaints surfaced only after Revanna announced his re-election plans for the Hassan constituency, which he had represented since 2019. He pointed out that the original complaint did not include allegations under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), which pertains to rape.
The Karnataka High Court had previously denied Revanna’s bail plea on October 21, noting the gravity of the accusations and Revanna's influence. The Supreme Court, led by Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, upheld the High Court’s decision, emphasizing Revanna’s influential status and the potential risk his release might pose to the ongoing investigation.
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