A single-judge bench of the Karnataka High Court Friday granted interim bail to BJP Member of Legislative Council (MLC) C T Ravi, 58, in a case of sexual harassment filed in Belagavi on Thursday by sole woman minister in the Congress government, Laxmi Hebbalkar.
The Karnataka HC granted bail even as Ravi was brought to Bengaluru from Belagavi for an appearance in a court for elected representatives in connection with the FIR filed under Sections 75 (sexual harassment) and 79 (outraging modesty of woman through word, gesture or act) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
“The interim relief as sought for by the petitioner is granted. The petitioner is ordered to be released from the custody, forthwith, subject to condition that he shall make himself available for investigation before the Investigating Officer as and when required at all reasonable times,” Justice M G Uma of the high court ruled on Friday evening.
The BJP leader was accused by the Congress minister of using a derogatory word against her during a verbal spat in the Legislative Council between BJP and Congress leaders over the alleged insult to Dr B R Ambedkar in parliament by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Belagavi police arrested Ravi outside the legislature building on Thursday evening and kept him in detention at night before transporting him to Bengaluru on Friday.
Even as he was being brought to a special court for elected representatives in Bengaluru, the BJP leader moved bail pleas in the high court and the special court.
In the HC plea, Ravi argued that he had been arrested in violation of Supreme Court directives outlined in the ‘Arnesh Kumar vs State of Bihar’ case. The BJP leader argued that he had been arbitrarily deprived of his personal liberty.
In the special court, the hearing on Ravi’s plea was adjourned to Monday.
“The learned senior counsel Ashok Arnahalli has vehemently argued that the impugned act of arresting the petitioner is per se illegal and he has relied upon several authorities of the Hon’ble Apex Court,” the special court noted.
“By considering the rival contentions urged at Bar it would be appropriate to request the learned PP to appear on behalf of the prosecution and in the meantime the complainant/victim is also permitted to file necessary objections if necessary. For objections by prosecution, call on 21.12.2024,” the special court ruled.
C T Ravi also filed a complaint with the Legislative Council chairman saying that a few people claiming to be followers of Hebbalkar tried to attack him in the legislature building.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar, Law Minister HK Patil, and other Congress leaders met Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti and demanded action. Tensions escalated inside the Suvarna Soudha in Belagavi Thursday as ‘followers’ of Hebbalkar tried to barge into the building to demand action against Ravi but were restrained by the police.
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