SIT requests in-camera hearing of bail pleas of Prajwal Revanna in Karnataka HC
Bengaluru, Aug 29: The Special Investigation Team (SIT) on Thursday requested the Karnataka High Court to conduct an in-camera hearing for the bail and anticipatory bail applications of former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, who faces accusations of rape and sexual assault of several women.
During the hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Ravivarma Kumar, representing the SIT, sought in-camera proceedings to protect the identity of the prosecutrix.
Justice M Nagaprasanna said a decision on the plea must be taken by the Chief Justice. Prajwal's legal counsel also sought more time.
Consequently, the court adjourned the hearing to September 5, while observing that this was not a case where leniency could be granted.
Prajwal Revanna is in judicial custody since May 31 on charges of sexual assault following his return from Germany.
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Recently the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal Investigation Department filed a charge sheet against former MP Prajwal Revanna for rape and his father and MLA H D Revanna for sexual harassment.
The charge sheet comprising statements of about 150 witnesses was submitted in a special court for public representatives and it pertains to one of the cases involving alleged sexual assault of a domestic help of the family.
While Revanna has been booked under section 354 and 354 (A) of the IPC, his 33-year-old son Prajwal has been charged under sections 376, 376 (2)(K), 354, 354(A) and 354(B) of the IPC.
The first complaint against the father-son duo was registered based on a complaint by the domestic help at their residence.
The victim, who was also a relative of the MLA's wife Bhavani, alleged that she was sexually harassed multiple times.
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Sanjay Raut demands re-election, alleges irregularities in EVMs during Maharashtra polls
Mumbai, Nov 25: Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded a re-election in Maharashtra using ballot papers, claiming there were irregularities with the electronic voting machines (EVMs).
Talking to reporters, Raut alleged several complaints about EVMs malfunctioning and questioned the integrity of the recently held elections.
The BJP-led Mahayuti won 230 out of 288 seats in the assembly elections, while the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi managed 46 seats, with Shiv Sena (UBT) winning just 20 out of 95 seats it contested.
"We have received nearly 450 complaints regarding EVMs. Despite raising objections repeatedly, no action has been taken on these issues. How can we say these elections were conducted fairly? Hence, I demand that the results be set aside and elections be held again using ballot papers," Raut said.
Citing some instances, he said a candidate in Nashik reportedly received only four votes despite having 65 votes from his family, while in Dombivli, discrepancies were found in EVM tallies, and election officials refused to acknowledge the objections.
The Sena (UBT) leader also questioned the credibility of the landslide victories of some candidates, saying, "What revolutionary work have they done to receive more than 1.5 lakh votes? Even leaders who recently switched parties have become MLAs. This raises suspicions. For the first time, a senior leader like Sharad Pawar has expressed doubts about EVMs, which cannot be ignored."
Asked about the MVA's poor performance in the elections, Raut rejected the idea of blaming a single individual.
"We fought as a united MVA. Even a leader like Sharad Pawar, who commands immense respect in Maharashtra, faced defeat. This shows that we need to analyse the reasons behind the failure. One of the reasons is EVM irregularities and the misuse of the system, unconstitutional practices, and even judicial decisions left unresolved by Justice Chandrachud," he said.
Raut stressed that though internal differences might have existed within the MVA, the failure was collective.
He also accused the Mahayuti of conducting the elections in an unfair manner.
"I cannot call the elections fair given the numerous reports of discrepancies in EVMs, mismatched numbers, and vote irregularities across the state," Raut said.
