Supreme Court Denies Transfer of Trials for Prajwal Revanna; Observations of Bias Deemed Contextual

Supreme Court affirms High Court decision, ensuring trials remain with original Presiding Officer despite earlier conviction remarks.

In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has dismissed a petition by Prajwal Revanna seeking the transfer of his ongoing criminal trials to another court. The decision came after Revanna, who was previously convicted under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act, contended that remarks made by the Presiding Officer in his earlier conviction reflected bias, potentially affecting the impartiality of his subsequent trials.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi, upheld the Karnataka High Court's decision, which had earlier rejected Revanna's plea. The Supreme Court underscored that observations made by the Presiding Officer in the previous judgment were contextual and did not reflect any bias or prejudgment that could affect the pending trials. 

The court emphasized the role of the Presiding Officer in evaluating evidence independently in the new trials, without being influenced by past judgments. The Supreme Court expressed confidence that the Presiding Officer would adjudicate the current cases based solely on the evidence presented, without prejudice arising from Revanna's prior convictions.

Additionally, the Supreme Court provided Revanna with the opportunity to address any contentious remarks made by the Presiding Officer in his previous conviction through his pending appeal in the High Court. The High Court has been urged to consider these submissions with regard to the facts and circumstances presented.

This decision reinforces the judiciary's commitment to impartiality and the principle that each trial must be assessed on its own merits, irrespective of past outcomes. The Supreme Court's order effectively concludes the special leave petition, maintaining the integrity of the judicial process while ensuring that any perceived biases are addressed through appropriate legal channels.

Bottom Line:

Transfer of trials cannot be sought solely on the basis of observations made by the Presiding Officer in an earlier judgment convicting the petitioner. Such observations must be contextual and cannot form the foundation of alleging bias or prejudging the issues.

Statutory provision(s): Section 376(2)(k), 376(2)(n), 354-A, 354-B, 354-C, 506, and 201 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Prajwal Revanna v. State of Karnataka, (SC) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2820811