JD(S) MLA H D Revanna walks out of prison in woman kidnap case

Bengaluru, May 14 (PTI) JD(S) MLA H D Revanna was released from the central prison here on Tuesday, a day after a Special Court for Elected Representatives granted bail to him in a woman abduction case linked to sexual abuse charges against his son and MP Prajwal Revanna.

The woman was allegedly kidnapped to prevent her from testifying against Prajwal, police sources have said.

As the imprisoned leader walked free after spending six days in the jail, his supporters greeted him with slogans. Revanna went to meet his father Deve Gowda with a large convoy of vehicles.

Addressing reporters, Revanna said he will abide by the court orders.

“I will not react to anything. I have immense respect for the judiciary. I complied with the court order for the past 11 days. I will not say anything beyond this. I have faith in God. He only got me out of this situation,” the JD(S) MLA from Holenarasipura in Hassan district said.

The 66-year-old former minister visited a temple in the city after stepping out of the jail and offered special prayers.

Revanna, son of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, was arrested by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in an alleged case of kidnapping a woman linked to the allegations of sexual abuse of women by Prajwal Revanna, on May 4.

The special court judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat heard the matter and granted conditional bail to Revanna.

While granting the bail, the court invoked conditions, such as Revanna will be given bail upon executing Rs 5 lakh bond, he should not be allowed to leave the country, and he should not try to influence the victim or other related parties to the case.

Revanna's three-day police custody ended on May 8, following which he was produced in the XVII Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Court, which remanded him to seven days’ judicial custody, till May 14.

The case was registered following a complaint by the woman's son, who alleged that his mother was sexually abused by Revanna's son Prajwal.

The SIT has also secured the custody of Revanna's confidant Sathish Babanna in connection with the case.

The SIT arrested Babanna on May 3 and subsequently rescued the woman allegedly from a farmhouse in Mysuru’s Hunsur taluk on May 4, hours before the arrest of Revanna from Deve Gowda's residence in Bengaluru’s Padmanabhanagar. PTI GMS GMS ROH