Karnataka HC denies Prajwal Revanna access to digital evidence of other victims

Vartha Bharati | 16-01-2025 | 19:50:00 IST

JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna

Bengaluru, Jan 16 (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Thursday ruled that suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna, who faces multiple allegations of sexual assault, can only examine digital evidence related to the complainant in the present case and not that of other women.

Revanna had approached the court seeking access to all digital evidence collected by the State Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the cases against him. However, Justice M Nagaprasanna firmly rejected this request, stating that the law would not be bent in his favour.

“The images here, even of the victim, are obscene. Just because you are Prajwal Revanna, the law can’t be bent for you,” the judge remarked.

Revanna, accused in at least four separate cases of rape, sexual assault, and criminal intimidation, argued that the digital evidence he sought was not necessarily obscene.

However, the court dismissed this claim, emphasising the importance of protecting the privacy of other victims.

"You are entitled to evidence in the case related to Section 376 (alleged rape of a domestic worker), but if you are trying to extract material related to all the women you have had escapades with, that cannot be permitted. When they have not given any statements against you, why invade their privacy?" Justice Nagaprasanna said.

Additional Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) B N Jagadeesha argued that Revanna’s petition was a tactic to delay the trial. He informed the court that while copies of images and videos relevant to the four cases had already been provided to the defence, Revanna was now seeking access to over 15,000 images and 2,000 videos recovered from a Samsung phone allegedly belonging to his driver.

Many of these files contain details of other victims, and disclosing them would not only delay proceedings but also risk exposing their identities before the trial court, the prosecutor cautioned.

The High Court ruled that Revanna could inspect digital evidence and statements only with the present case, in line with Section 207 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (now part of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita) and the Supreme Court’s ruling in P Gopalakrishnan vs State of Kerala.

The court also permitted the prosecution to withhold evidence as per legal provisions. "It is his right to ask under Section 207, but whatever he is entitled to will be per the Gopalakrishnan judgment," the judge clarified.

Revanna, the son of former minister H D Revanna and grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is currently facing multiple charges of sexual assault. The SIT, which is investigating these cases, had earlier submitted a 2,144-page chargesheet in one of the cases.

Get all the latest, breaking news from Karnataka in a single click. CLICK HERE to get all the latest news from Karnataka.

Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.

Comments

comments powered by Disqus.

Thumbay Group begins work on Sharjah’s first private integrated psychiatric, rehabilitation hospital

13-05-2026 ¦ 13-05-2026 IST

Sharjah: Thumbay Group has laid the foundation stone for the Thumbay Psychiatric and Rehabilitation Hospital at Sharjah Healthcare City, a 120-bed facility that the company says will be the region’s first private, fully integrated hospital dedicated to psychiatric care, neuro-rehabilitation and addiction recovery.

The groundbreaking ceremony was led by Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri, who is also a member of the Sharjah Executive Council, in the presence of Dr. Thumbay Moideen.

Spread across 110,000 square feet, the hospital is being developed to address growing demand for specialised mental health and rehabilitation services in the UAE and the wider Gulf region.

The facility will include inpatient and outpatient services in psychiatry, neuro-rehabilitation, addiction treatment, child and adolescent mental health, and care for mood and anxiety disorders. It will also feature VIP inpatient villas designed to provide privacy and support long-term recovery.

A mosque, named the Thumbay Masjid, will be constructed within the campus and will be open to the public.

The hospital is being designed to meet standards for Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF), an internationally recognised accreditation system for rehabilitation facilities.

Speaking at the event, Dr. Abdelaziz Saeed Al Mheiri said the project reflects Sharjah’s commitment to strengthening healthcare infrastructure in all aspects of wellbeing.

“Mental health and rehabilitation have long needed dedicated infrastructure, and we are proud to support a private partner whose vision matches the ambition of this Emirate,” he said.

Dr. Thumbay Moideen said the project was a response to a growing need for specialised mental healthcare services in the region.

“We have spent over three decades building healthcare in this region, and the one conversation that has grown louder every year is mental health. Families have been carrying this quietly for too long. This hospital is our answer. It is purpose-built, not retrofitted, and it has been designed around dignity, recovery, and outcomes that families can trust,” he said.

Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026, and the hospital is expected to become operational by mid-2027.

Once completed, the facility will become part of Thumbay Group’s network of healthcare, education and diagnostic institutions across the UAE.

All Stories

NEET paper leak, cancellation proof of structural flaws, abolish test says TN CM

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Wednesday said that the NEET exam paper leak and cancellation of the test was proof of structural flaws and demanded that it be abolished and states permitted to fill seats on their own based on Class 12 marks.

NEET paper leak: CBI arrests 5, conducts multiple searches; protests intensify

The CBI arrested five persons and conducted searches at multiple locations across the country in the NEET UG paper leak case as protests over the cancellation of the examination intensified on Wednesday and the chorus for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan's resignation grew louder.

Delhi ministers shift to metro, buses as govt pushes fuel conservation drive

Delhi ministers have begun using public transport and limiting the use of official vehicles following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal for fuel conservation, with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta urging citizens to incorporate Metro travel and carpooling into their daily routines.