Scandalous Video Case: Prajwal Revanna Granted Access to Sensitive Clips in Court

Bengaluru, Jan 18 (NationPress) The primary suspect in the Karnataka obscene video scandal, former MP Prajwal Revanna, who is the grandson of ex-Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, received authorization from a special court on Saturday to view purported videos of sexual assaults involving the victim during a confidential court session.

The Special Court for MLAs/MPs granted this permission for Prajwal, his legal team, a technical group, and the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) to examine the private videos retrieved from the mobile phone of Prajwal’s driver, who was closely associated with him.

Prajwal was escorted to the court from the Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara following a High Court order.

Arun, Prajwal's lawyer, moved to restrict media coverage of the case but the court refused, indicating it could not impose such a ban.

The attorney also requested a delay for the confidential viewing of the evidence, citing the absence of technical experts. The court expressed its dissatisfaction, remarking that such requests seemed like tactics to delay proceedings.

“I have no objection if the attorney submits an application for a female judge,” the court noted.

Following this, Prajwal and others viewed the confidential materials, which included the alleged sexual assault videos retrieved from the driver's personal phone, in the closed court venue.

Prajwal had previously filed a request with the High Court demanding the release of documents and electronic evidence obtained from his driver’s mobile device.

“Everything here is indecent, and there is a threshold for indecency. The court cannot disclose information about other women. You are attempting to revert to a previous state,” commented the High Court bench.

The Karnataka High Court, reviewing the sex video scandal, stated on Thursday that the law cannot be altered simply because it involves Prajwal Revanna.

The bench, chaired by Justice M. Nagaprasanna, made this observation while examining Prajwal's petition to dismiss the legal actions against him. Prajwal specifically sought access to all data from the mobile phone, but the court clarified that only data pertinent to the case could be reviewed, and access to information involving other women was denied.

“No violation of privacy for other women should occur. Focus on others is unnecessary. The victims' images are present, and they are incredibly obscene. Just because it’s Prajwal Revanna, the law cannot be modified,” the bench remarked.

Prajwal Revanna's lawyer asserted that the phone had been thoroughly inspected by investigators.

“Every investigating officer has reviewed the materials. The electronic evidence and records must be regarded as evidence. The prosecution opposed the request for all data.”

However, the bench noted that if the petitioner seeks information about other women, it cannot be granted.

“In matters concerning the victim's privacy, the court may only allow inspection. Any method of inspection could be implemented, but it cannot be provided to you in the form of a pen drive,” the court stated.

The court also indicated that aside from the case in which the petition was filed, Prajwal could not request data involving other women.

The petitioner’s lawyer maintained that this would severely prejudice him and that he should be permitted to inspect the device.

The court further stated orally that copies would be given while safeguarding the identities of the women and dismissed Prajwal's petition regarding this matter.

The prosecution has charged Prajwal Revanna under Sections 354 (A) (sexual harassment), 354 (B) (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to disrobe), 354 (C) (act of watching or capturing a woman’s image while she engages in a private act), 376 (2) (N) (aggravated rape committed by public servants), 376 (2) (K) (committing rape while in a position of control over a woman), 506 (criminal intimidation), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence) of the IPC and Section 66 (E) of the IT Act.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the sexual assault video case involving Prajwal Revanna submitted a 1,691-page charge sheet to the Special Court for MLAs/MPs.

The charge sheet indicated that the victim was raped at gunpoint. The video documented the rape incident, with the victim being repeatedly sexually assaulted while threatened with the release of her videos.

It was also mentioned that the victim refrained from filing a complaint out of fear.