HC seeks update from State on appointment of Special PP in Prajwal Revanna’s conviction appeal
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has directed the State government to clarify whether a Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) has been appointed to argue on behalf of the government in the appeal filed by former MP Prajwal Revanna, who has challenged his life sentence in a rape case involving his domestic worker.
A division bench comprising Justice K.S. Mudagal and Justice T. Venkatesh Naik issued the direction during the hearing held on Thursday. The bench also adjourned the matter to October 28 for further proceedings.
Government counsel informed the court that an SPP had been appointed during the trial proceedings before the Special Court for People’s Representatives. However, it was yet to be confirmed whether a similar appointment had been made for the appeal hearing. The High Court then instructed the State counsel to obtain this information and submit it in the next hearing.
The court also asked Revanna’s defence counsel to provide a comprehensive summary of the appeal.
In his appeal, Prajwal Revanna has alleged inconsistencies between the victim’s complaint and her testimony, claiming that the complaint was obtained under coercion by the police. He stated that after the incident came to light, police arrived at his Gannigad farm house, and seeing them, the victim panicked and fled. Later, she was allegedly taken to the SIT office in Bengaluru and pressured into filing the complaint, the appeal argues.
Revanna also questioned the reliability of physical evidence presented in court. He pointed out that stains allegedly found on a bed sheet three years after the incident could not be credible, arguing that it was “impossible for the cloth to remain unwashed for so long.”
He further claimed that during an inspection of the Gannigad farmhouse on May 28, 2024, investigators seized clothes and strands of hair without the victim being present, calling the seizure a serious procedural lapse lacking legal validity.
The defence also raised doubts about forensic findings of semen stains, questioning how such traces could remain in a locked room that had not been opened for three years, as stated by a prosecution witness.
On August 2, 2024, the Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru, presided over by Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhatt, convicted Prajwal Revanna of multiple offences, including rape and criminal intimidation, and awarded him life imprisonment along with fines totalling Rs 11.60 lakh.
Under IPC Section 376(2)(k) (rape by a person in a position of authority) and Section 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), he was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined Rs 5 lakh each.
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National Herald case: Will appear before Delhi police next week, says Shivakumar
Belagavi (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday said he will appear before the Delhi police next week to provide them the required information, as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
The Delhi Police had issued a notice to Shivakumar, who is also the state Congress chief, seeking financial and transactional details as part of its probe into the National Herald case.
"I had told them, I will come next week after the legislature session. I will go," Shivakumar told reporters in response to a question.
The notice issued by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) states that Shivakumar is “supposed to have vital information” pertaining to the National Herald case registered on October 3 this year, against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi.
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In the notice dated November 29, the EOW asked Shivakumar to appear before it or provide the requested information by December 19 latest.
Shivakumar, a couple of days ago, had sought the FIR copy from the Delhi police.
In response to a query on state BJP President Vijayendra calling him "Pitamaha of corruption", the Deputy CM said that time will come to respond to the former.
"Will reply to Vijayendra... He called us (state Congress government) ATM of the Congress party. He has to prove it. So I have said whatever I have to. How can he say that this is an ATM and allege that coffers are being emptied and money is being sent (to Congress high command)? Time will come and will respond to him," he said.
Vijayendra had hit back at the Deputy CM for calling him "king of collection", for accusing the Congress government of corruption to fund the party high command.
