Is Prajwal Revanna's Continued Detention Justified in the Sex Video and Rape Case?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Prajwal Revanna is contesting his life sentence in a sex video and rape case.
- The court has requested further submissions from both sides.
- Concerns have been raised about the strength of the prosecution's evidence.
- The farmhouse associated with the alleged incident no longer exists.
- The case underscores the importance of due process in legal proceedings.
Bengaluru, Nov 13 (NationPress) Prajwal Revanna, a former MP from the Janata Dal-Secular party and grandson of ex-Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who received a life sentence in a case involving a sex video and rape, contends that his ongoing incarceration is unjustifiable.
A division bench comprising Justices K.S. Mudagal and T. Venkatesh Naik reviewed the appeal on Thursday, deferring the next session to November 24.
The court instructed Prajwal to provide a summary of his arguments.
Additionally, the bench requested the prosecution to submit their objections prior to the upcoming hearing.
Prajwal Revanna, represented by his attorney, asserted that the prosecution's claims are weak, lacking sufficient evidence to establish a solid connection and, hence, his ongoing detention is unwarranted.
Senior counsel Siddharth Luthra, acting on behalf of Prajwal Revanna, noted that the conviction was pronounced on August 1, 2025, with sentencing occurring a day later.
He emphasized that Prajwal should have been afforded a fair opportunity to present his case prior to sentencing, particularly if the court intended to impose the maximum penalty, thereby allowing for the consideration of mitigating factors.
"If the core of the prosecution's argument is flimsy and the evidence does not definitively link me to the alleged crime, there exists no justifiable reason to keep Prajwal incarcerated," he stressed.
He further pointed out that the video evidence was sourced from social media and other public platforms, which raises questions regarding its reliability.
Moreover, he highlighted that the alleged incident was reported three to four years after it purportedly took place, and there was a significant delay in filing the police complaint even after the victim had contacted authorities.
Additionally, he mentioned that the farmhouse where the alleged incident occurred no longer exists and is now owned by another party, complicating the verification of claims.
He also noted that the prosecution failed to present the victim's phone records, which could corroborate the victim's whereabouts during the alleged incident.
Prajwal raised doubts about the legitimacy of the recovery of the victim's clothing from the farmhouse.
Having returned from Germany, Prajwal Revanna was arrested in May 2024 and is challenging the court's decision on multiple grounds, including inconsistencies in the survivor's testimony and contradictions in the prosecution's evidence.
A special court had sentenced Revanna to life imprisonment and imposed fines in one of the four sexual assault and rape cases against him.