BENGALURU: In a major setback to the state government, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) BN Jagadeesha, defending the Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the alleged sexual assault cases involving Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, resigned on Wednesday.
Confirming his resignation to the head of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), under which the SIT is constituted, sources said the resignation came after two senior counsel were appointed as additional SPPs by the state government to defend the prosecution before the trial court and sessions court dealing with the cases involving sexual assault.
The government on Wednesday appointed senior advocates Ashok N Naik and Jayna Kothari as additional SPPs. The two appointments were an attempt by the state government to replace Jagadeesha for its own reasons, the sources said.
However, sensing the wrong message which will give if replacement is made suddenly without any valid reasons, the state government withdrew the notification issued for replacement before it was sent out and on Wednesday issued a fresh notification appointing the two senior counsel as additional SPPs.
Even on Wednesday, Jagadeesha, who is also the Additional State Public Prosecutor, appeared on behalf of SIT before the special court which was hearing the bail petition of Revanna and also before the magistrate court which remanded the MLA to judicial custody.
Jagadeesha was appointed SPP on May 30. Since day one, he was doing his best but it is very unfortunate to hear his resignation, an advocate said.