Mysore, August 2: Today, a special court in Bengaluru sentenced former JDS MP and former Prime Minister HD Devegowda’s grandson Prajwal Revanna to life imprisonment in the maid rape case. Revanna has also been fined Rs 10 lakh. The court convicted Revanna on Friday. Revanna had appealed to the court for a lesser sentence, claiming that he had not done anything wrong.
In fact, a 47-year-old woman working at Revanna’s family farmhouse had filed an FIR against him in April last year. She accused Revanna of raping her several times since 2021 and threatening to leak the video if she told anyone about the incident.
The court had completed the hearing of this case on July 18. Charges were framed against Revanna under several sections including rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation and leaking of obscene pictures. A total of 4 cases of rape are registered against him. This is the first case in which he has been convicted.
Prajwal accused of sexually harassing several women
Prajwal Revanna came into the news last year after his name surfaced in the Karnataka sex scandal. He is accused of sexually harassing more than 50 women. So far, 4 FIRs have been registered against him on charges of rape, molestation, blackmailing and threatening.
Last year, more than 2,000 pornographic video clips of Revanna surfaced on his social media. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Revanna contested for the second time from Karnataka’s Hassan parliamentary seat, but he could not save his MP seat. JDS also suspended him from the party after cases were registered against him.
Prajwal Revanna stood before the court by joining both his hands
The court, after pronouncing Prajwal Revanna as guilty, has recorded the final statements of the convict Prajwal Revanna, the Special Public Prosecutors and counsel for Prajwal earlier in the day. Prajwal Revanna is convicted under the IPC Sections 376 (2) (N) for offence of committing rape repeatedly on the same woman and being a public servant committing rape on a woman in custody, 376 (2) (K) for being in a position of control or dominance over a woman, commits rape on such woman, 354 (B) for use of criminal force to a woman with the intent to disrobe her, 354 (C) for offence of voyeurism, watching, capturing images of woman and IT Act 66 (E) for violation of privacy.
Prajwal faces three more cases of a similar nature.
The Special Public Prosecutors, during final statements on the quantum of punishment on Saturday, urged the Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru to award the maximum sentence – life imprisonment – to former MP and convict Prajwal Revanna in the obscene video and rape case. They argued that such a sentence would send a strong message to society and serve as a deterrent to others committing similar crimes.
Prajwal Revanna became emotional and broke down before the court while delivering his final statement ahead of sentencing. Prajwal Revanna said, “Why did this case come out during the elections? When I was an MP, no complaints were lodged against me. They now say I committed multiple sexual assaults. Why didn’t anyone come forward then? Why did the case surface only during the election?” He further alleged, “The police have done this. This is politically motivated. I will accept the decision of the court. I haven’t seen my parents for six months.”
When Judge Santosh Bhat asked Prajwal about his educational qualifications, Prajwal responded that he had studied Mechanical Engineering. “You can verify my academic records. I am a meritorious student. My only fault is that I rose too quickly in politics. I won’t blame the media,” he added. The court also recorded the final arguments of the two Special Public Prosecutors representing the prosecution and the statement of the senior counsel representing Prajwal Revanna.