BENGALURU: A day after a video clip surfaced on social media, in which the alleged sexual assault victim claimed that nobody kidnapped her and that MLA HD Revanna and his son and Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna are innocent, the video may not have any implication on the investigation being carried out by the SIT. It is left to the investigating officer (IO) whether to take the video seriously or not. Releasing such a video is said to be an offence.
Legal experts opined that “playing to the gallery” with such statements is objectionable. Her statement could be true, but the manner in which she is marshalling it out is said to be objectionable. Her video reveals that she is aware of the investigation and somebody is the accused, they added.
If at all she has to make such a statement, it is better if she does it before the IO. If the IO refuses then she can give her statement before a magistrate under Section 164, they said. The accused cannot be exonerated with such videos. The police should give her protection to ensure that she is not won over by anyone. Her statement may have value to the accused only if she gives it before the magistrate, they said.
“Releasing such a video falls within the definition of an offence under Section 201 of IPC. It amounts to derailing probe. Investigation is a secretive process which will be handled by the investigating officer with information provided to the magistrate. If such things can be allowed, anybody who is a victim can be won over by the other side and can be made to give a statement that no offence occurred,” senior advocate M S Shyamsundar told TNIE.