Video's authenticity, delay in FIR and consent: What Prajwal Revanna argued in Karnataka High Court for bail

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday reserved its order on the bail applications filed by former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna in the case of rape and sexual assault registered against him.

Justice M Nagaprasanna reserved the order on Revanna's bail plea in one case, as well as on two anticipatory bail pleas related to two subsequent complaints.

During the hearing today, Senior Advocate Prabhuling Navadgi on behalf of Revanna underlined that the case was primarily built on the statements of the prosecutrix and the alleged existence of a video.

He alleged contradictions between the prosecutrix's statements to the police and the magistrate, and questioned the authenticity of the video, referring to a Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) report that purportedly said that the video could not be construed as genuine.

He also argued that no offence under Section 376 was made out, suggesting that the acts, if they occurred, were consensual. Navadgi also highlighted the four-year delay in the prosecutrix coming forward with the allegations and said that no satisfactory explanation had been provided for this delay.

Representing the SIT, Senior Advocate Ravivarma Kumar opposed bail, arguing that Prajwal had refused to cooperate with the investigation by withholding his phone.

He also cited the forensic report, which reportedly indicated that the crime scene matched the background in the video, and stated that the prosecutrix had covered her face out of shame.

On August 24 this year, the SIT, which is investigating four cases of sexual assault and harassment against Prajwal Revanna, filed a 2,144 page-long chargesheet, the first in the four cases, before the special court which hears cases relating to MPs/MLAs.

The SIT has booked Revanna for rape of a woman who used to work as the domestic help for the family.