Five individuals accused of disseminating lewd videos allegedly featuring Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna have filed petitions for anticipatory bail in the Karnataka High Court. Among them is Karthik, a former driver for the Revanna family, along with three others. Their initial bail plea was denied by a lower court, prompting them to seek relief from the higher judiciary.
The plea, submitted by Karthik Gowda, Naveen Gowda, Puttaraju, Chetan Gowda, and Subramani, has prompted the High Court to coordinate all petitions related to the case under the Office of the High Court Registrar. Moreover, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) and the government have been served notices to contest the bail application, as per directives issued by a single-member bench headed by S Rachaiah.
The accused individuals are alleged to have shared pen drives containing explicit footage purportedly depicting Prajwal Revanna in compromising situations with multiple women. These videos emerged just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in the Hassan constituency, a stronghold of the JD(S), triggering widespread condemnation and accusations of misconduct.
Simultaneously, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has initiated action against Prajwal Revanna, serving him a show-cause notice regarding the potential cancellation of his diplomatic passport. Revanna reportedly left the country for Germany immediately after polling concluded in Hassan, prompting concerns over his overseas stay.
According to sources, the MEA is reviewing the Karnataka government's request to revoke Revanna's diplomatic passport, with indications suggesting that he is currently residing in Germany. If the passport is indeed canceled, his continued stay abroad would be deemed unlawful, potentially subjecting him to legal consequences in his host country.
These developments transpired following Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging swift action to annul Revanna's diplomatic passport. Additionally, the SIT, tasked with investigating the matter, has requested the MEA to revoke Revanna's passport after an arrest warrant was issued against him by a local court.
Furthermore, Interpol has issued a 'Blue Corner Notice' seeking information on Revanna's whereabouts, reflecting the international dimension of the case and the efforts to locate him for further legal proceedings.
