Karnataka High Court Stalls Framing Of Charge Against Prajwal Revanna In Alleged Sexual Assault Case Till January 16

The Karnataka High Court on Thursday directed the trial court not to frame charges against former Member of Parliament, Prajwal Revanna who is accused in a case of rape and sexual assault, till January 16. However, the trial court is permitted to hear the arguments before framing of charge.

Justice M Nagaprasanna has directed thus while hearing a petition filed by Revanna, questioning an order dated December 1, 2024 of the trial court rejecting his application filed under Section 207 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The prosecution has charged him under Section 354(A), 354(B),354(C),376(2)(n),376(2)(K),506,201 of IPC and Section 66(E) of IT ACT.

By way of this application Revanna had sought for production of the documents and Electronic Evidence collected by the prosecution from the phone of his driver, who had allegedly copied it from Prajwal's phone. It was argued that those images on the phone are necessary and the route of the travel of those images to the phone has also become necessary.

Additional Special Public Prosecutor B N Jagadeesha submitted that pen drives and DVDs have been given to Revanna and he has received it. But what he is now asking is the entire videograph which was found in the phone.

He submitted, “The FSL report what he is asking is about 15,920 images and 2235 images, this has nothing to do with the crime at hand. The present application was made with a view to delay the trial.”

However, Revanna's counsel submitted that all the investigation officers in the different crimes have sent the very same phone for forensic but Revanna was provided only the subsequent report, not all the reports.

The bench then orally observed “Why do you (Revanna) want the clone content of the entire content on the phone that is retrieved. The privacy of several women are involved in this.”

Following which the prosecution informed the court that the matter is posted before the trial court on January 13. Prosecution further submitted that if the court directs, it will provide the details but urged that in the meanwhile, Revanna should argue before the trial court for framing of charge.

The court then said “List the matter for further hearing on January 16. The impediment now is that the petition is filed when the concerned court is hearing matters for the purpose of hearing before framing of charges. The hearing would continue but the act of framing of charge shall not be done by the concerned court till the next date of hearing."

Case Title: Prajwal Revanna AND State Of Karnataka

Case No: CRL.P 206/2025