The trial in a rape case in opposition to former Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna, 34, which was set to start on Wednesday in a particular courtroom for circumstances in opposition to elected representatives, has been stalled on account of his counsel initially looking for the switch of the case to a brand new decide and later recusing himself from the case.
The assertion of the sufferer within the case – a home employee employed at a farmhouse belonging to the previous MP’s household in Hassan – was not recorded by the courtroom on Wednesday regardless of the sufferer responding to a courtroom summons to seem in courtroom.
The particular courtroom was scheduled to start the trial on Wednesday within the first of 4 rape circumstances filed in opposition to Prajwal Revanna in 2024 after non-public movies, allegedly recorded by the previous MP on his cell phone of sexual assaults on girls, emerged within the public area forward of the Lok Sabha polls on April 26, 2024.
The courtroom of the particular courtroom, nevertheless, witnessed drama on Wednesday with Prajwal Revanna’s advocate M G Arun initially elevating an objection to the graduation of trial by citing alleged bias in opposition to his consumer by the particular courtroom and looking for a reference of the case to the principal periods decide or the Karnataka Excessive Court docket for switch of the case to a brand new decide for trial.
“The very conduct of the accused would point out that he is trying to thwart the proceedings and to delay the trial. It’s repeatedly being requested by this courtroom to co-operate with the trial. Nevertheless, the accused has not heeded to the request of this courtroom. It appears that evidently the accused is having a sole intention to delay the proceedings,” the courtroom famous.
The appliance filed on behalf of Prajwal Revanna looking for the switch of the case to a brand new decide was then referred to the principal civil and periods decide, with the consent of the sufferer and her son, who have been current within the courtroom. The principal periods decide, nevertheless, directed the particular courtroom “to proceed with the case in accordance with regulation”.
When the courtroom was seemingly able to start the trial with the recording of the assertion of the sufferer, the counsel for Prajwal Revanna filed a memo submitting that he’s “not inclined to seem on behalf of the accused” and that he intends to retire from the case.
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The particular public prosecutor then knowledgeable the courtroom that the accused was adopting techniques to delay the trial and “submitted that the sufferer has come from a protracted distance and he or she is a each day wage worker and in addition it’s his apprehension that the accused might attempt to dissuade the sufferer from talking reality earlier than the courtroom if repeated adjournments are granted”.
“The accused has requested that he could also be granted time to interact counsel. The courtroom has appraised him about his proper to free authorized help. Because the trial is being mounted repeatedly, the courtroom shouldn’t be able to cancel the trial,” the particular courtroom dominated and adjourned the case to Thursday to repair a brand new date for trial.
On April 19, the courtroom mounted April 23 because the date for the graduation of the trial in opposition to the previous Janata Dal (Secular) celebration chief Prajwal Revanna in a case the place he’s accused of utilizing his dominance and energy to sexually assault a home employee employed at his farmhouse in his Hassan parliamentary constituency on a number of events.
The courtroom order for the graduation of the trial got here within the wake of the April 3 dismissal of a discharge plea filed by Prajwal Revanna within the case and the framing of fees of rape in opposition to the previous MP on the identical day in reference to the case.
Prajwal Revanna circumstances timeline
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Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who’s the grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, is accused in 4 circumstances of rape that emerged following the emergence of movies of a number of sexual assaults by the politician within the public area forward of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls – the place Prajwal Revanna was defeated by a Congress candidate in Hassan.
Within the first case that’s now set for trial, Prajwal Revanna has been charged with committing rape of a lady whereas “being able of management or dominance” below IPC part 376 (2) (ok) of sexual harassment and prison intimidation of the sufferer.
A chargesheet operating into 1,632 pages and backed by 113 witnesses was filed final yr by an SIT constituted to analyze the rape circumstances in opposition to the MP.
The case was registered on the idea of a grievance filed by a middle-aged girl on Might 8, 2024, after she was rescued on Might 5, from a farmhouse close to Mysuru, the place she was allegedly stored in confinement after being recognized in movies of alleged sexual assaults recorded by the MP.
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Prajwal Revanna was arrested on Might 31, 2024, following his return from Germany, the place he had fled after movies of alleged sexual assaults emerged within the public area on April 26, 2024.
By the way, the particular courtroom earlier this week on April 22, scheduled April 29 because the date for scheduling the trial in a second case of rape filed in opposition to Prajwal Revanna. On this case, the previous MP is accused of sexually assaulting a former Hassan Zilla panchayat member who approached him for official favours. The fees of rape have been framed within the case on April 22. Prajwal Revanna has pleaded not responsible and sought a trial.