Supreme Court notice to Bhavani Revanna on Karnataka government's plea against bail

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to Bhavani Revanna, the mother of former JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, who is accused of sexual exploitation of a number of women as purportedly revealed in such videos.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan sought a response from Bhavani after hearing senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the Karnataka government, in the case related to alleged abduction of a victim.

After hearing Sibal, the bench orally observed, "There is nothing in the case against the respondent, let's not politicise the matter."

The court also felt there was not much materials against her in the statement of the victim recorded before a court under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Sibal said the victim was held in captivity and made to give a statement in May that nothing had happened. The victim was taken away and kept in a farmhouse.

He said the High Court, however, said there was no mention of her role.

"Those who did it have been arrested, they will face the consequences, it is not the case that she has not been discharged and in fact she would face the trial," the bench said.

"In a case of allegations of this nature, what is the role of the mother to abet the crime by her son," the bench asked.

Sibal, however, contended she (the mother) is the one who directed for captivity. He further said that the victim is forced to make a statement and that this is a case of clear threat.

The Karnataka government challenged the High Court's order in June, this year allowing regular anticipatory bail to Bhavani Revanna in the abduction case lodged with K R Nagar police station in Mysuru.

Bhavani had moved the HC after the special court declined her relief. She had earlier appeared before the SIT to answer the questions raised in its probe in the matter.