Former MP Prajwal Revanna sentenced to life imprisonment in rape case

By Sagaya Fernando | August 2, 2025

Bengaluru, Karnataka, INDIA: In a landmark judgment, a Special Court in Bengaluru on Saturday August 2, 2025, sentenced former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna to rigorous life imprisonment for raping a 48-year-old female employee at his family’s farmhouse in Holenarasipur, Hassan district. The 34-year-old, grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, was convicted under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

The verdict came a day after the Special Court for criminal cases against MPs and MLAs found Revanna guilty under IPC Sections 376(2)(k) (rape in a position of control or dominance over a woman), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 201 (destruction of evidence), as well as Section 66E of the IT Act.

Delivering the sentence, Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat ruled that Revanna would serve rigorous imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life—the maximum punishment under Section 376(2) of the IPC.

Shocking Crimes, Digital Evidence

The case pertains to incidents from 2021 when the victim, employed at the Revanna family’s farmhouse, was allegedly raped twice—once in Holenarasipur and again at the family’s residence in Bengaluru. The assaults were reportedly recorded on Revanna’s mobile phone.

The survivor filed a formal complaint on May 8, 2024, after she was rescued from a farmhouse near Mysuru, where she had allegedly been confined. The case gained national attention when explicit videos of sexual assaults involving Revanna surfaced online just before the April 2024 general elections.

An SIT probe led by the Karnataka Police recovered critical evidence, including video recordings and a DNA match between Revanna and bodily fluids found on the victim’s garment. Forensic analysis confirmed the presence of Revanna’s DNA on a petticoat belonging to the woman, which had been left behind in the servant’s quarters.

Trial and Testimony

The chargesheet was filed in December 2024, and formal charges were framed on April 3, 2025. The trial began on May 2 with the survivor’s testimony. The court also heard from Karthik N., a former car driver of the MP, who acted as the whistleblower. He testified to discovering over 2,000 explicit photos and more than 40 videos on the MP’s phone.

Revanna’s Defense

Before the sentencing, Revanna broke down in court and alleged a political conspiracy. He claimed the charges were timed to damage his reputation ahead of elections. “I was never accused when I was an MP. The allegations surfaced just before elections. My only fault was that I grew quickly in politics,” he said.

Revanna, a mechanical engineering graduate, pleaded for leniency, stating he had not seen his parents in six months. He also argued that the victim had not reported the alleged assault to her husband or relatives, suggesting that the complaint emerged only after the videos were leaked.

Political Fallout and Further Charges

Revanna was arrested on May 31, 2024, upon his return from Germany, where he had fled following the circulation of the explicit videos. He had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Hassan as a JDS-BJP alliance candidate but lost amid the mounting allegations.

The case is one of four registered against Revanna, with two additional trials ongoing. These include the alleged repeated assault of a former JDS zilla panchayat worker and the alleged sexual harassment of a cook and her daughter employed by the Revanna family.

The Revanna family has accused the ruling Congress government of orchestrating a political vendetta to weaken their longstanding dominance in Hassan district politics.

While Prajwal Revanna begins serving his life sentence, the court is expected to hear the remaining cases in the coming months. Legal experts consider the conviction a significant precedent in cases involving powerful political figures and sexual abuse.