Karnataka High Court refuses to stay probe against Preetham Gowda in Prajwal Revanna obscene video case

The Karnataka High Court on Friday refused to stay the investigation against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Karnataka Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Preetham Gowda in a case registered against him for allegedly distributing obscene videos involving Prajwal Revanna..Justice Krishna S Dixit was unconvinced that there was a case for stalling the ongoing investigation."Therefore the investigation may go on discretion of the respondent in normative way," the Court ordered.However, the Court emphasized that Gowda should not be arrested or detained as long as he cooperates with the investigation. It further clarified that the order would not interfere with any new material discovered by the police..Advocate CV Nagesh, appearing for Gowda, contested the registration of offences under section 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe) and 354D (Stalking) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).However, the Court maintained that whether or not the offences are attracted is a matter of investigation and hence, refused to stall the probe..Gowda has been named as an accused in the fourth sexual abuse case against former Janata Dal (Secular) Member of Parliament (MP) Prajwal Revanna. The sexual abuse allegations against Revanna emerged after over 2,900 videos depicting the sexual assault of several women were circulated online including on social media..On April 28, a first information report (FIR) was registered against Prajwal Revanna and his father HD Revanna under Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 509 (insult to modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Holenaraseepur town police station in Hassan district. The criminal case was registered on a complaint filed by one of the victims. An SIT led by senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer BK Singh is probing the case. Amid the outrage and political storm that followed, Prajwal Revanna fled to Germany soon after the April 26 Lok Sabha polls in the State, before being arrested upon his return to India on May 31.In the fourth case, Revanna has been handed over to the SIT till June 29 following an order by Special Magistrate KN Shivakumar.