Hassan sex abuse: Prajwal's father H D Revanna withdraws anticipatory bail plea

This was after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) submitted that no offence for rape has been invoked against the petitioner and added that all the offences alleged in the FIR are bailable.

Bengaluru: Former minister and JD(S) leader HD Revanna on Friday withdrew his petition seeking anticipatory bail petition pertaining to the FIR registered by the Holenarasipura Town Police in relation to the obscene video case.

Meanwhile, he moved a fresh petition seeking anticipatory bail in connection with the FIR registered by the KR Nagar police in Mysuru.

During the hearing before the special court for cases involving MPs/MLAs, the counsel for Revanna read out the contents of the FIR registered with the KR Nagar police. He stated that since non-bailable sections 364A (abduction) and 364 (illegal confinement) are invoked there is threat of arrest. The counsel further stated that Revanna is ready to appear before the SIT in the other case registered with the Holenarasipura Town PS, while praying for grant of interim anticipatory bail in the FIR registered with the KR Nagar police.

The Special Sessions judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat ordered notice to the Special Public Prosecutor representing the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and adjourned the hearing to Saturday.

Earlier in the day, the special court heard the anticipatory bail petition in relation to the Holenarasipura FIR. Jagadeesh BN, Special Public Prosecutor for the SIT, submitted that the Section 376 of IPC (rape) has not been invoked against the petitioner in the FIR.

The counsel submitted preliminary objections with respect to maintainability of the anticipatory bail petition in the backdrop of the fact that the non-bailable offence under section 376 not pressed and all other offences are bailable insofar as against the petitioner. In this FIR, Revanna is named as accused number 1 and his son Prajwal Revanna, MP from Hassan constituency, is accused number 2.

In the backdrop of these submissions, senior counsel  Murthy D Naik, appearing for Revanna, submitted that he may be permitted to withdraw the bail petition with the liberty to file fresh petition if need arises. The court disposed of the petition as withdrawn considering the submissions on record.