Jayna Kothari, who was appointed as the Additional Special Public Prosecutor for the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the Prajwal Revanna rape case, has resigned.
Kothari's resignation, tendered on June 11, follows reportedly a series of controversial events and strategic missteps by the investigation team. Notably, the SIT is now represented by Senior Counsel Ravivarma Kumar, Ashok Naik, and BN Jagadeesha. Kothari and Naik had been appointed to their positions on May 8.
While Kothari did not provide an explicit reason for her resignation, insider sources indicate dissatisfaction within the investigation team regarding the handling of the case involving HD Revanna, who was granted bail in a kidnapping case related to a sexual assault victim.
There are reports that Kothari was unhappy with her lack of involvement in key responsibilities concerning cases in both the High Court and district court.
The bail granted to HD Revanna is currently under challenge by the SIT and is scheduled for a High Court hearing on June 14. In parallel, Prajwal Revanna's legal troubles continue to escalate.
His anticipatory bail application in another rape case was rejected by a special court on June 12. Consequently, Prajwal has been remanded in judicial custody for 14 days concerning a separate rape accusation.
Prajwal's legal woes began when he fled to Frankfurt, Germany, on April 26, shortly after polling for the general elections closed in his Hassan constituency. He was arrested upon his return to Bengaluru Airport on May 31. Prajwal, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, faces accusations from four women, with allegations ranging from rape to sexual abuse and the videographing of sexual acts. Additionally, one survivor has accused HD Revanna of abducting her.
The JD(S) suspended Prajwal following widespread outrage, yet he still contested the general elections from Hassan, losing to Shreyas Patel of the Congress by a margin of 42,649 votes. The SIT continues to probe the multiple complaints filed between April 28 and May 2 against Prajwal, as the legal proceedings and public scrutiny intensify.