Bengaluru | Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life by a Special Court here on Saturday, a day after he was convicted in one of the four sexual abuse and rape cases against him.
The court awarded punishment and imposed fines on the 34 year-old under different sections of IPC and IT Act.
The ruling Congress used the verdict to take a swipe at rivals-- BJP and its ally JD(S) to question their 'silence' on the matter, even as the saffron party called for respecting the court order.
Ahead of the sentencing, the 34-year-old grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda wept loudly and appealed to the court for a lesser punishment, stating he is a BE Mechanical graduate who has always passed on merit and not committed any wrongdoing.
The Special Court for MPs/MLAs Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat imposed a total fine of Rs 11.50 lakh on the accused, directing that Rs 11.25 lakh from this be paid to the victim, a domestic help of the family of the accused.
The court had on Friday convicted Revanna of raping the 48-year-old woman who was working at the family's Gannikada farmhouse in Hassan district's Holenarasipura. She was allegedly raped twice -- at Hassan farm house and Bengaluru residence-- in 2021, and the act was recorded by the accused on his mobile phone.
Special public prosecutor Ashok Nayak speaking to reporters said, considering the rape incidents had happened when the convict was a Member of Parliament, the court, taking into account the seriousness of the offence, has given maximum punishment
"The court has sentenced life imprisonment for Prajwal Revanna, and as per law, he should be in prison for the full life. The prosecution had invoked various sections, and for all sections, the court has sentenced separate punishments and fines. On the whole, the fine amount is Rs 11,50,000, and a major share of it, Rs 11,25,000, should be given to the victim as per the court order," he said.
Additional SPP B N Jagadeesha said, the accused is liable to remain in prison under section 376(2)(n) for the remaining period of his life.
Earlier in the day, while the prosecution sought a life sentence for Revanna, the former MP sought leniency, claiming he did nothing wrong and that his only mistake was his 'fast' growth in politics.
He broke down in court as he appealed to the judge for a lesser punishment.
"...they say that I have raped multiple women, but none of the women have come out voluntarily to complain, they came six days before the election (Lok Sabha polls last year)...the prosecution side brought them purposefully and made them give a complaint," Prajwal told the court.
Pointing out that the woman (victim) had not complained to anyone, including her husband or kin, about the alleged rape, he said that she came and gave a complaint when certain videos were circulated.
Stating that he will bow down to the court's conviction, Prajwal said, "I have a family, I have not seen my mother and father for six months now.....please give me a lesser sentence is what I request the court."
"The only mistake I made in my life is growing fast in politics," Prajwal, arrested in May last year upon his arrival from Germany, told the court.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which probed the case, had filed a 1,632-page charge sheet with 113 witnesses in the case in September 2024.
Revanna was booked under sections 376(2)(k) (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman, commits rape on such woman), 376 (2)(n) (repeated rape on the same woman), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 201 (disappearance of evidence) of the IPC, and Section 66E (violation of privacy) of the IT Act.
Prosecution advocates Nayak and Jagadeesha, following Prajwal Revanna's conviction on Friday, said that the court had accepted the prosecution's case and convicted him on all counts.
Responding to the court order, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar questioned the silence of leaders from JD(S) and its alliance partner BJP.
Speaking to reporters in New Delhi, the state Congress chief said that JD(S) leaders and their alliance partner BJP are competent to comment on the Prajwal Revanna issue, and questioned as to why they are not speaking.
BJP leader and Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said the court would have given the verdict considering all aspects, and it should be respected.
Four separate cases have been registered against Revanna, who is facing charges of rape and sexual harassment, and the SIT was tasked with probing the cases.
The cases came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Revanna were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26, 2024.
Bengaluru | From the time a large number of pen drives allegedly containing his sex videos surfaced in Hassan in April 2024—amid the Lok Sabha election buzz—to his arrest by an all-women Special Investigation Team (SIT) upon his return from Germany on May 31, 2024, former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna has been at the centre of a series of unexpected developments.
Revanna was sentenced to life imprisonment in one of the cases against him on Saturday—a culmination of events that derailed his once-ambitious political career.
The case pertains to the rape of a 48-year-old woman who worked as domestic help at the family's Gannikada farmhouse in Hassan. She alleged she was raped twice by Revanna—once at the farmhouse and again at his residence in Bengaluru's Basavanagudi during the COVID-19 lockdown in 2021.
Timeline of events
April 2024: Sex videos surfaced, sparking a nationwide uproar. He claimed the leak was politically motivated, aimed at derailing his chances of winning a Lok Sabha seat.
April 20, 2024: Revanna’s election agent filed an FIR alleging that the videos were being circulated to tarnish his image ahead of the elections.
April 26, 2024: Polling for the Lok Sabha elections concludes; Revanna leaves the country on a diplomatic passport.
April 27, 2024: The Karnataka government constitutes an SIT to probe the allegations.
April 28, 2024: Revanna and his father, former minister H D Revanna, are booked for sexual harassment and criminal intimidation based on a complaint filed by their former domestic worker.
April 29, 2024: The complainant goes missing, allegedly abducted by Revanna’s parents to prevent her from testifying against him.
April 30, 2024: JD(S) suspends Revanna from the party.
May 2, 2024: Karnataka Police book Revanna on rape charges and issue lookout notices for the "absconding" MP.
May 4, 2024: The abducted former domestic worker is rescued by the SIT.
May 30, 2024: Revanna boards a flight to Bengaluru from Frankfurt Main airport in Germany.
May 31, 2024: He is intercepted and arrested by the all-women SIT upon arrival and remanded to custody.
June 26, 2024: The Special Court for MPs and MLAs, set up to fast-track criminal cases against public representatives, denies bail to Revanna.
July 5, 2024: Revanna moves the Karnataka High Court seeking bail.
August 23, 2024: The SIT files the first chargesheet in the case.
September 9, 2024: The SIT submits a second chargesheet running into 1,632 pages.
October 21, 2024: The Karnataka High Court denies Revanna both regular and anticipatory bail in two rape cases and one sexual assault case.
November 2, 2024: Revanna’s DNA is found on the undergarments of the alleged rape survivor.
November 11, 2024: The Supreme Court rejects Revanna’s bail plea.
January 16, 2025: The Karnataka High Court denies his request for a print copy of all digital evidence in the rape case.
May 1, 2025: The Karnataka High Court dismisses a petition filed by his mother, Bhavani Revanna, seeking more time to appoint a new advocate.
May 2, 2025: Trial begins in the Special Court for MPs and MLAs in the rape case filed by the former domestic worker.
July 18, 2025: Trial concludes; the court reserves its verdict for July 30.
July 30, 2025: The Special Court seeks clarification and adjourns the case to August 1.
August 1, 2025: The Special Court convicts Revanna of rape; the quantum of punishment was scheduled to be pronounced the following day.
Bengaluru | Four years after the occurrence of the crime and a year after it came to light, suspended JD(S) leader and former MP Prajwal Revanna was on Saturday sentenced to prison term for the remainder of his life, while the court slapped an overall fine of Rs 11.50 lakh on him, directing that Rs 11.25 lakh of it be paid to the victim woman, a domestic help to the family of the accused.
The Special Court here has punished and imposed fines on the convicted politician under various sections of the IPC.
A court had on Friday convicted the 34-year-old grandson of former Prime Minister and JD(S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda in one of the four sexual abuse and rape cases against him.
The Special Court for MPs/MLAs Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat pronounced the verdict on Saturday, after convicting Revanna a day earlier.
The case pertains to a 48-year-old woman who was working as a help at the family's Gannikada farmhouse in Hassan district's Holenarasipura. She was allegedly raped twice -- at Hassan farm house and Bengaluru residence-- in 2021 and the act recorded by the accused on his mobile phone.
Revanna was booked under sections 376(2)(k) (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman, commits rape on such woman), 376 (2)(n) (repeated rape on the same woman), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 201 (disappearance of evidence) of the IPC, and Section 66E (violation of privacy) of the IT Act, by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) which probed the case.
The court sentenced Prajwal Revanna to imprisonment for life and imposed Rs 5 lakh as fine, under section 376(2)(k), and imprisonment for life which shall mean remainder of natural life along with Rs 5 lakh fine under section 376(2)(n).
He has been also sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for three years and Rs 25,000 fine under section 354A, rigorous imprisonment for 7 years and Rs 50,000 fine under section 354B, rigorous imprisonment for 3 years and Rs 25,000 fine under section 354C.
A two year RI has also been given to Revanna, with a fine of Rs 10,000 under section 506, imprisonment of 3 yrs and fine of Rs 25,000 under section 201, and imprisonment of 3 yrs and fine of Rs 25,000 under section 66 E of IT Act.
Special public prosecutor Ashok Nayak told reporters that considering the rape incidents had happened when the convict was a Member of Parliament, the court, taking into account the seriousness of the offence, has given the maximum punishment.
"The court has sentenced Prajwal Revanna to life imprisonment, and as per law, he should be in prison for the full life. The prosecution had invoked various sections, and for all sections, the court has sentenced separate punishments and fines. On the whole, the fine amount is Rs 11,50,000, and a major share of it, Rs 11,25,000, should be given to the victim as per the court order," he said.
Four separate cases have been registered against Revanna, who is facing charges of rape and sexual harassment, and a Special Investigation Team SIT) was tasked with probing the cases.
The matter came to light after pen-drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Revanna were reportedly circulated in Hassan, ahead of Lok Sabha polls there on April 26, 2024. He had made a successive bid from the constituency but lost.
Bengaluru | Officials of the Special Investigation (SIT) team that are probing multiple cases of sexual assault and rape involving former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna on Saturday said that they were able to serve justice to the victim following the court sentencing the convict to life imprisonment for the remainder of his life.
The SIT team expressed confidence that they will be able to achieve similar outcomes in the remaining cases involving Revanna.
B K Singh, chief of the SIT formed to probe the alleged crimes of the former MP said that it was a challenging case to investigate as the offence had taken place four years ago.
"To collect evidence for the offence in the absence of medical reports of the victim was really really difficult but our team did a professional job," he told reporters here.
"They collected most of the other scientific evidence except the medical report. Examining them scientifically, forensics presented them in the court. This entire case has been decided mainly based on the testimony of the victim and the scientific evidence. There were hardly any human witnesses, except three or four and "puncha witnesses" (a witness testifying to the search and seizures made by the police at crime scenes). Everything was scientifically proven," he added.
The court had on Friday convicted Revanna of raping a 48-year-old woman who was working as a domestic help at the family's Gannikada farmhouse in Hassan district's Holenarasipura. She was allegedly raped twice -- at Hassan farm house and Bengaluru residence-- in 2021, and the act was recorded by the accused on his mobile phone.
Senior IPS officer, Suman D Pennekar, who was part of the SIT team, said that during the early stages of the probe itself, investigation reports authenticated that the videos pertaining to the case were not morphed and were genuine.
"Basically, our initial thought process when the videos came out was the difficulty or the harassment that the victims had faced that was there in front of us. We were able to see what they had gone through. So, that was the point where we thought that we should give our best. On the very first day, when we saw those videos soon after the formation of SIT, we thought If they give a complaint to us independently, then we have to take it to a logical conclusion," she told the media.
Crediting the team for their professional work, she said that they were able to prepare a foolproof chargesheet which included not only witness statements but evidence that were collected scientifically, be it DNA evidence or digital evidence, the device which was seized and the photos.
"We were able to get the report that the videos were not morphed, they were genuine and after that we were able to match the scene of crime, to match the body parts of the accused and also his voice, so most of the evidences which were collected were proved with the help of FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory). Those were submitted to the court. Eventually, we got this conviction," the officer added.
When asked about the other pending cases of assaults against Revanna, the officer said, "We are very positive about other cases as well. More or less all the cases were investigated on the same lines. The visuals which emerged and the way the victims were treated, raped and sexually harassed everything was more or less in the similar lines. Except for the part that there were many victims. So, the investigation also happened in the same way." "Each case was treated equally with conviction and we are sure that they will also reach this day...About the victim, we feel we have been able to serve justice," she added.
