Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna Convicted in Rape Case by Special Court

Suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former MP from Hassan, Prajwal Revanna, has been convicted in a rape case by the Special Court of Sessions for criminal cases against former and sitting MPs and MLAs. He is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda.

This is the first of four cases, including three rape charges and one sexual harassment complaint, in which a verdict has been delivered.

The trial concerned a 48-year-old woman who previously worked as domestic help at the Revanna family’s farmhouse in Gannikada, Hassan.

Sentence Awaited; Arguments Ongoing

The court is still hearing arguments regarding the quantum of punishment, which is expected to be announced on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

The trial began on May 2 and concluded on July 18, wrapping up in just over two months with daily hearings. Though the verdict was initially reserved for July 30, the judge postponed the ruling to Friday to seek clarification on mobile location data and other technical evidence.

Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat presided over the case. Senior advocates Ashok Nayak and B.N. Jagadeesha served as special public prosecutors.

Key Evidence and Fast-Tracked Trial

Public prosecutor Ashok Nayak stated that the prosecution examined 26 witnesses and submitted 180 documents.

“The main evidence is of the victim, a lady, it was a very very convincing one…” he told reporters. He added that the trial concluded quickly despite 38 adjournments.

Nayak praised the efforts of the SIT and emphasized the use of oral, digital, and forensic evidence.

“It is victory for the victim… we relied not only on the oral evidence, but also the digital evidence, technical evidence, DNA report, FSL report. The clothes worn by the victim during the rape were also identified and the Investigation Officer (IO) was successful in seizing the clothes even after three-four years. Also, digital evidence played a role as the accused himself had recorded the video….” he said.

Additional SPP B.N. Jagadeesha confirmed that the court accepted the prosecution’s case in full. “Clinching evidence is the victim’s evidence, coupled with digital evidence available in this case,” he said.

The SIT submitted a 1,632-page chargesheet with 113 witnesses in September 2024.

Prajwal was charged under IPC Sections 376(2)(k) (rape by a person in a position of dominance), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape on the same woman), and Section 66E of the IT Act, 2000 (violation of privacy), among others.

Allegations and Forensic Findings

According to the chargesheet, the victim was raped twice in 2021—once at the Hassan farmhouse and later at the Revanna residence in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru.

The accused reportedly recorded the first incident on video, which was later recovered by the SIT. In the footage, the victim is seen resisting and crying. Though Prajwal’s face was not visible, forensic analysis linked the video to him.

Additionally, Prajwal’s DNA was found on a sari belonging to the victim, which was stored in a wardrobe at the farmhouse. These forensic results were crucial to the conviction.

Revanna’s Court Statement

Following the conviction, Revanna addressed the court and claimed innocence. “…they say that I have raped multiple women, but none of the women have come out voluntarily to complain, they came six days prior to election (Lok Sabha polls last year)…the prosecution side brought them purposefully and made them give a complaint,” he was quoted as saying by PTI.

Revanna, a BE Mechanical graduate, stated he always passed on merit and denied wrongdoing. Breaking down in court, he said, “…please give me a less sentence is what I request the court,” adding he had not seen his family in six months.

Political Setback

The court handed Revanna a life sentence and a fine of ₹10 lakh in the case. This conviction marks a significant fall for the 34-year-old, who is the grandson of JD(S) patriarch H.D. Deve Gowda.

He had returned from Germany on May 31 last year, after losing the Hassan Lok Sabha seat in the 2024 elections.

In a follow-up statement after his conviction, Revanna claimed that the victim only filed a complaint after videos were circulated.

He stated that she did not report the alleged rapes to her family or husband at the time. “The only mistake I made in my life is growing fast in politics,” he said in court.

This case is only the first of four pending against Prajwal Revanna, and the outcome has already caused major ripples in Karnataka’s political landscape.