The Karnataka High Court on Friday, January 17, temporarily restrained a trial court from framing charges against Janata Dal (Secular) leader HD Revanna, who is accused of abducting a woman allegedly raped by his son.
Justice M Nagaprasanna, while issuing the order, allowed the special court in Bengaluru to continue hearing arguments in the case but barred it from framing charges until January 30. The High Court is set to hear Revanna’s quashing petition on the same date.
“The senior counsel for the petitioner (Revanna) submits that the matter is at the stage of hearing before charge and hearing is on. The concerned court is permitted to hear the matter at the stage of arguments before charge but shall not frame the charge till January 30, 2025,” the High Court said, Bar and Bench report.
The order was passed during a hearing on Revanna’s petition seeking to quash proceedings against him.
The case involves allegations of abduction of Revanna’s former domestic help, which is tied to sexual assault accusations against his son and former MP, Prajwal Revanna. On May 3, a complaint was registered in Mysuru where a 20-year-old man accused Revanna of kidnapping his mother, who was allegedly sexually assaulted by Prajwal. Satish Babanna, the second accused in the case, had told the victim that a police case had been registered against her and that she would be arrested. Fearing arrest, she said, she went with Babanna to a farmhouse in Kalenahalli village in Mysuru.
HD Revanna is facing two criminal cases, one linked to sexual assault and the other to kidnapping. He was granted bail in both cases on May 13, 2024.
