Karnataka HC refuses to defer rape trial against Prajwal Revanna
Bengaluru, May 02 (PTI): The Karnataka High Court on Friday dismissed a plea seeking to delay the rape trial against suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna.
The petition had been filed by his mother, Bhavani Revanna, requesting time for her son to appoint new legal representation.
Justice Vishwajith Shetty declined to intervene, stating that issuing such a directive to the trial court would undermine its authority.
"If orders are passed asking the trial court to adjourn it, it will demoralise ," he remarked during the hearing. He made it clear that the plea would not be entertained, adding, "I will pass orders, I will not entertain."
On April 3, the Bengaluru trial court framed serious charges against him, including rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, and illegal dissemination of private videos.
Bhavani Revanna's plea highlighted that Prajwal's previous counsel, advocate Arun G, had stepped down on April 23, shortly after the court denied a request to transfer the case.
Following this, the trial court offered Prajwal the option of appointing a lawyer through the District Legal Services Authority , to which he replied that his family was arranging for private counsel.
However, when no lawyer was engaged within the short period given, the court appointed Chief Legal Defence Counsel Jayashree RS as amicus curiae on April 29. The trial was then scheduled for daily hearings starting May 2.
The petition argued that the appointment was made without Prajwal's consent and with insufficient time for preparation, given the complex nature of the case and the large volume of evidence. It also pointed out that the appointed amicus was given just two days to review the case material.
In addition to seeking deferment, Bhavani alleged irregularities in the trial court's recording of submissions. She claimed that her son's former lawyer had met him in jail and informed him that courtroom arguments were not accurately reflected in the court's orders.
Requests for certified copies of the proceedings were allegedly ignored or dismissed, and Bhavani said the trial judge mocked her instead of addressing her concerns.
She requested the High Court to direct the trial court to release certified copies of the proceedings, but this plea too was not entertained.
Senior Advocate Vikram Huilgol represented Bhavani Revanna, while Special Public Prosecutor Ravivarma Kumar appeared for the Special Investigation Team . The petition was filed by advocate Mayur D Bhanu of Legal Care Inc.
Four separate cases have been registered against Prajwal, who is facing charges of rape and sexual harassment, and a Special Investigation Team was formed to probe cases against him.
The cases came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Prajwal were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26, 2024.
He was arrested by the SIT on May 31 last year, upon arrival at Bengaluru Airport from Germany in connection with a case registered at the Holenarasipura Town Police Station.
Prajwal had failed in his bid to retain the Hassan parliamentary constituency in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. JD(S) suspended him from the party following the cases filed against him.
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Centre spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print media ads for RSS centenary, reveals RTI
New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Culture allegedly spent Rs 76.13 lakh on print advertisements marking the 100-year celebrations of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), according to a Right to Information (RTI) reply.
The information was sought by RTI activist Ajay Basudev Bose, who filed an application seeking details on expenditure incurred by the ministry for advertisements commemorating the RSS centenary.
Bose shared a picture of the reply from the ministry on his official ‘X’ handle.
“It is informed that an amount of Rs 76,13,129 has been spent on advertisement given in various print media by the Ministry of Culture on the occasion of the completion of 100 years of RSS,” the government’s reply stated.
RTI reply shows Min of Culture Govt of India spent a Whopping Rs 76L,13K,129 on Advertisement in Print Media on occasion of 100 yrs of #RSS
— AJAY Basudev Bose (@AjayBos93388306) April 16, 2026
When Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??@RSSorg… pic.twitter.com/dW4IUtdNCg
Bose questioned the expenditure in the post X, “when Everyone knows RSS is Not Registered & Does not Pay any Tax is it justified to spend Tax Payers Money on such Private event??”
Reacting to the development, Karnataka’s IT-BT and Panchayat Raj Minister Priyank Kharge also criticised the spending.
In a post on X, he asked why public money was being used for what he described as a “private ideological project.”
"Modi Sarkar spent Rs 76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS. Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to celebrate their centenary?," he added.
Why is public money being used to serve a private ideological project?
— Priyank Kharge / ಪ್ರಿಯಾಂಕ್ ಖರ್ಗೆ (@PriyankKharge) April 16, 2026
Modi Sarkar spent ₹76,13,129 of public money on newspaper advertisements to celebrate 100 years of the RSS.
Why is Government spending taxpayers money on an unregistered, non-tax-paying organisation to… pic.twitter.com/EoZ6Pim3IM
According to reports, the RSS describes itself as a volunteer-based organisation and has stated that it functions as a body of individuals rather than a registered entity.
Founded by Keshav Baliram Hedgewar in 1925, the organisation is marking its centenary year beginning from Vijaydashami in 2025, with the milestone observed on October 2.
