Prajwal Revanna's mother granted interim bail in kidnapping case
What's the story
The Karnataka High Court has granted interim anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna, mother of suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna. The court stayed an arrest warrant previously issued by an Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) and directed the police not to arrest or detain her. Bhavani is facing charges of kidnapping a woman, allegedly to help her son, who has been accused of sexually assaulting several women.
Court directives
Court orders and conditions for Bhavani
However, Justice Krishna S Dixit cautioned that the grant of anticipatory bail should not be "celebrated" and imposed conditions for Bhavani's cooperation with the investigation. She has also been directed not to enter KR Nagar, Mysore district or Hassan district where the alleged kidnapping took place. The court will hear this matter again next week, further ensuring that Bhavani abides by these conditions during her interim bail period.
Allegations
Allegations and arrests surrounding Prajwal
Her son was arrested on May 31, a month after evading Indian authorities and fleeing to Germany after videos of the alleged sexual assault he filmed himself surfaced. A special court on Thursday extended the police custody of Prajwal to June 10. In another setback for the JD(S), Congress candidate Shreyas M. Patel won the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency in Karnataka, defeating Prajwal. This was the first time in 25 years that the JD(S) lost the Hassan seat.
Kidnapping plot
Kidnapping allegations against Bhavani
Both parents of Prajwal are facing allegations of kidnapping a woman who was assaulted by their son. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Ravivarma Kumar informed the High Court that Bhavani was the mastermind behind the kidnapping plot. "She is the mastermind, I will demonstrate. Let her not enter Hassan and Mysore," stated Kumar in court. The court incorporated this aspect as a condition for anticipatory bail, with further hearings scheduled for next week.