Prajwal Revanna, the former MP and suspended JD(S) leader, has been denied bail for the second time by a Special Court for People’s Representatives in a rape case involving a housemaid. Trial Court judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat rejected the plea. Revanna’s previous bail attempts had also failed, leading him to appeal to the High Court, where he cited trial delays. The High Court subsequently instructed him to first address the trial court.
Last year, FIRs were filed against Revanna, who is the prime suspect in four cases. Approximately 2,900 video clips containing scenes of sexual assault were discovered and circulated on the internet and social media.
The initial complaint was filed by a domestic help who worked at Revanna’s family farmhouse. She alleged that Revanna repeatedly raped her, threatening to release the videos if she spoke out. These incidents reportedly began in 2021. The trial court has brought forth several serious charges including rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, and illegal dissemination of private videos against Revanna. The court had reserved the verdict on July 18, which will now be delivered on July 30.