Did Bengaluru Court Acquit Former Minister H.D. Revanna in Sexual Assault Case?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- H.D. Revanna acquitted of sexual assault charges.
- Judge K.N. Shivakumar ruled in favor of Revanna.
- Delayed complaint contributed to the dismissal of the case.
- Revanna is the son of H.D. Deve Gowda.
- Broader implications for political accountability.
Bengaluru, Dec 29 (NationPress) A court in Bengaluru on Monday exonerated former minister and current JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna in a purported sexual assault case. Revanna, who is the offspring of former Prime Minister and Rajya Sabha Member H.D. Deve Gowda, is also the father of former MP Prajwal Revanna, currently serving a life sentence for a rape and sex video case.
Judge K.N. Shivakumar delivered the verdict in favor of Revanna, dismissing the allegations under Section 354A (sexual harassment) of the IPC and declaring him not guilty. The court noted that the complaint was lodged after a significant delay, which alone justified Revanna’s acquittal in the sexual assault case.
Revanna faced accusations under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty) and 354A (sexual harassment) of the IPC, based on a complaint filed at the Holenarasipur Police Station in Hassan district.
The High Court had previously quashed the charge under Section 354, prompting Revanna to seek a discharge under Section 354A as well.
Previously, Revanna had been taken into custody and placed in judicial remand regarding the same case.
With both charges against him being dropped—one by the High Court and the other by the Bengaluru court—he is now entirely acquitted in this sexual assault matter.
The allegations arose from a complaint registered in April 2024 by a domestic worker who accused Revanna of sexual harassment. This complaint was filed at the Holenarasipur Town Police Station in Hassan district.
In related developments, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the sex video scandal apprehended JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna on May 4, 2024, after his anticipatory bail plea was denied by the People’s Representatives Court in Bengaluru concerning a victim kidnapping case.
Earlier, the SIT located the kidnapped woman at a farmhouse owned by Rajashekar, the personal assistant of H.D. Revanna, in Kalenahalli village, Mysuru district.
The Karnataka Police filed an FIR against H.D. Revanna for the abduction of a woman believed to be among the victims of the sex video scandal involving his son, Prajwal Revanna.
The woman's son had lodged a kidnapping report, naming H.D. Revanna as the primary suspect in the case.
A relative, Satish Babu, was identified as the second suspect in the FIR. The son alleged that his mother disappeared following the emergence of a purported sex video in which Prajwal Revanna was allegedly depicted sexually assaulting her.
He further claimed that his mother was held against her will at an undisclosed location and urged law enforcement to take action against H.D. Revanna and Satish Babu.