Trial court rejects second bail plea by Prajwal Revanna in rape case

A trial court in Bengaluru on Friday rejected a second bail plea moved by suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna in one of the rape cases filed against him.

Trial court judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat rejected the bail plea.

Revanna had failed to get bail in his first round of litigation, following which he recently approached the High Court for bail citing a change in circumstances due to a delay in the trial against him.

On July 9, Justice SR Krishna Kumar asked Revanna to approach the trial court.

He added that Revanna is at liberty to re-approach the High Court if needed, after the trial court decides on his bail plea.

Accordingly, Revanna moved the special court for bail which has now been rejected.

Revanna is the main accused in four cases registered last year after over 2,900 clips depicting the sexual assault of several women were circulated online, including on social media.

The first of such cases was filed in April last year by a domestic help who used to be employed at the Revanna family's farmhouse. She accused Prajwal Revanna of repeatedly raping her and threatening to leak visuals of the assault if she were to speak out about the rape, the first of such incidents allegedly having taken place in 2021.

A trial court in Bengaluru framed various criminal charges against Revanna in the matter, including for rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation and unauthorised circulation of private images.

On July 18, the court also reserved its verdict in the trial. The same is slated to be pronounced on July 30.