Supreme Court Notice on Karnataka’s Appeal Against HD Revanna’s Discharge
The Supreme Court on Monday responded to an appeal by the Karnataka government contesting the dismissal of sexual harassment charges against Janata Dal (Secular) leader MLA HD Revanna. The case, originally filed by a former domestic worker, was discharged by a Bengaluru trial court, prompting the state government to seek intervention from the apex court.
A bench comprising Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran issued a notice on the state’s appeal, voicing concerns over the judicial process. The trial court had exonerated HD Revanna due to a four-year delay in filing the complaint, a decision previously influenced by partial relief granted by the Karnataka High Court. In December 2025, the trial court’s discharge followed the High Court’s November 2025 ruling, which acknowledged the potential for sexual harassment charges against Revanna but dismissed graver charges of outraging a woman’s modesty.
Judicial Concerns and Procedural Delays
During the hearing, the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the lower courts’ handling of the charges. Justice Pardiwala questioned the High Court’s decision to modify the charges, highlighting the court’s initial cognizance of the case. “How can the High Court change the charges? The court took cognisance. Now you have been discharged from Section 354 (outraging a woman’s modesty) also?” the court queried.
The allegations against HD Revanna and his son Prajwal arose after more than 2,900 videos of sexual assault were circulated online. On April 28, a First Information Report (FIR) was filed against them under Sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 509 (insult to modesty of woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) at the Holenaraseepur town police station in Hassan district.
Legal Proceedings and Challenges
HD Revanna faced two criminal cases: one concerning sexual assault allegations and another related to kidnapping. He was granted bail in both instances. The police later included a charge under Section 354 of the IPC when filing the chargesheet.
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Revanna contested the charges in the Karnataka High Court, arguing for the case’s dismissal due to the complaint’s submission beyond the three-year statutory limitation. His counsel contended that the four-year delay rendered the complaint legally unsustainable.
The High Court provided partial relief by overturning the trial court’s cognizance of the Section 354 charge and remanding the matter to evaluate potential statute limitations for the remaining offences. The trial court was instructed to decide if the delay could be justified under Section 473 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which allows deadline extensions for adequately explained delays.
Ultimately, the trial court opted not to condone the delay, resulting in HD Revanna’s discharge. The Karnataka government is now challenging this determination before the Supreme Court.
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Read Live Coverage: The Supreme Court is currently reviewing Karnataka’s challenge against the discharge of JD(S) leader HD Revanna in the sexual harassment case initiated by a former domestic worker. The bench includes Justices JB Pardiwala and K Vinod Chandran.
