Bhavani’s plea for relief to Prajwal in rape case dismissed

Bengaluru: The high court Friday dismissed a petition filed by Bhavani Revanna, seeking relief on behalf of her son, Prajwal Revanna, former JD(S) MP from Hassan and accused in rape and sexual harassment cases.
"I am not entertaining this petition. I have dismissed it, and the reasons will follow," Justice S Vishwajith Shetty orally told advocates appearing for the parties.

Apart from seeking permission for her son to engage a counsel of his choice, Bhavani sought for certified copies of the order passed by the special court on April 28 in relation to the application filed by her son seeking transfer of the case. She also sought certified copies pertaining to proceedings of the special court for people's representatives on April 29. The special court is hearing four cases for rape, sexual and other offences against Prajwal.
Appearing for Bhavani, senior advocate Vikram Huilgol submitted that the petitioner's concern is that her son may go unrepresented as his advocate retired from the case on April 23. He said they have been trying to engage an advocate for Prajwal, but that hasn't happened because of various reasons, including the need to go through voluminous documents.
On the other hand, senior advocate Ravivarma Kumar, appearing for the prosecution, claimed the very advocate who is said to have retired continues to represent the petitioner's son in other cases. According to him, it is a fraud played on the court and an abuse of the process of the court, making it an appropriate case to initiate contempt of court against the petitioner. "This is nothing but obstruction of justice. She is a stranger, not an accused in this case. She has no locus standi," Kumar added.
Bhavani herself is an accused in another case where she is charged with interfering and tampering with witnesses even before the complaint was filed, he added. Kumar argued that if the petition is allowed, it will be like opening floodgates, and in every case of rape, this method will be adopted. He also submitted that apart from indulging in malicious mudslinging by making allegations against the trial judge, they have been stalling progress, and these are methods to buy time to coerce a domestic help — victim in the case — to turn hostile.
During the arguments, Justice Vishwajith Shetty noted that the petitioner's son has to first appoint an advocate and then seek reasonable time from the trial court for the newly-appointed lawyer to acquaint himself with the case. The judge pointed out that the trial judge did grant time to Prajwal for appointing an advocate, which he did not utilise. Hence, an empanelled advocate from Legal Services Authority was appointed to conduct the case on behalf of the accused.
He repeatedly raped me: Survivor
The trial against Prajwal Revanna began Friday at a special court for elected representatives. The 40-year-old domestic worker, who filed the rape complaint against him last year, testified that Prajwal repeatedly raped her at his Gannikada farmhouse and Basavanagudi residence.
She revealed that he filmed the assaults and the videos later went viral, prompting her to file a complaint with CID. She also claimed she was kidnapped after she filed the case but managed to escape and report it.
Special public prosecutor Ashok Naik said her children and son-in-law will testify Saturday.