Former Karnataka MP Prajwal Revanna convicted of rape by special Bengaluru court
The grandson of former PM HD Deve Gowda was accused of raping his 47-year-old domestic help in 2024.
A special court in Bengaluru on Friday, August 1, convicted Prajwal Revanna, a former MP from Hassan and grandson of former prime minister H D Deve Gowda, in a rape case.
Presided over by Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat, the Special Court of Sessions for criminal cases against former present MPs and MLAs announced the verdict after the arguments were completed. The quantum of punishment will be announced on Saturday, August 2.
Prajwal, who is just days short of turning 35, was seen leaving the courtroom wiping his tears as the verdict against him was pronounced.
Also read: Law can't be bent for you: Karnataka HC to Prajwal Revanna
Earlier, the judge, who recently postponed the verdict, sought both sides’ viewpoints and stated whether it was necessary to understand whether Google Maps could be considered as evidence in the case. He also inquired about the seizure of a Samsung J4 mobile phone, allegedly belonging to the convict.
About the case:
Prajwal, who served as a Janata Dal (Secular) MP from Hassan between 2019 and 2024, was accused of raping a 47-year-old woman who worked at his garden home. The latter filed a complaint against him at the Holenarasipura Police Station in Hassan district on April 28 last year, when the general elections were underway.
Also read: SC dismisses Prajwal Revanna’s bail plea in Hassan sexual assault case
The Karnataka government also announced a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on April 27 to probe alleged sex abuse scandal involving Revanna after a pen drive with several explicit videos featuring women, allegedly recorded by the politician himself, surfaced ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. Prajwal then fled to Germany.
The case was referred to SIT the next day after Prajwal was booked based on the domestic worker's complaint.
Rape charges
On April 30, 2024, the JD(S) suspended Prajwal and welcomed the SIT investigation. The state police booked Revanna on rape charges on May 2 and issued lookout against the “absconding MP”. The SIT arrested him on May 31, after he returned to India.
Also read: SIT files charge sheet against JD(S) MLA HD Revanna, former MP Prajwal Revanna
On June 26, 2024, the court rejected Prajwal's bail plea. In July, he moved the High Court of Karnataka for bail. The SIT filed its first chargesheet against Prajwal in August 2024 for rape. It also filed a chargesheet against his father HD Revanna related to sexual harassment.
In September last year, the SIT filed a 1,632-page chargesheet with more than 110 witnesses in the case.
In October, the high court declined Prajwal both regular and anticipatory bails. The following month, the Supreme Court also turned down his bail plea.
The trial, which began in the special court based on the case filed by the woman on May 2 this year, concluded on July 18 and the verdict was reserved for July 30. On July 24, the special court rejected Revanna’s bail application for the second time.
This article was originally published in The Federal Karnataka.