Overview
- A Supreme Court bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on December 11 dismissed Prajwal Revanna’s bid to move two pending sexual-assault trials out of the Special MP/MLA Court in Bengaluru.
- The court said the trial judge will decide the pending cases solely on the evidence and that no inference can be drawn from Revanna’s prior conviction, which is under appeal.
- Revanna’s allegation that the judge’s prior observations showed prejudice was rejected, with the bench indicating he may ask the High Court to expunge any objectionable remarks.
- Both the trial court and the Karnataka High Court had earlier refused transfer, noting the Special MP/MLA Court is designated to try cases involving current and former legislators.
- Revanna is already serving a life sentence from a separate conviction by the same court, with other prosecutions ongoing that include allegations of rape, repeated rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, intimidation and IT Act violations.