Conviction is one of several sexual assault allegations
On Saturday, a Special Court for Elected Representatives in Bengaluru sentenced Prajwal Revanna, 34, to life in prison. The conviction was for one of four rape cases that were filed against him in 2024 after a domestic worker accused him of sexually abusing her on at least three occasions while she worked at a farmhouse in Hassan, Karnataka.
Revanna was charged in relation to multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including:
The following are the provisions under which he was found guilty of:
- IPC 376(2)(k) – Rape in a position of control or dominance
- IPC 376(2)(n) – Repeated rape
- IPC 354A – Sexual harassment
- IPC 354B – Assault with intent to disrobe
- IPC 354C – Capturing private images
- IPC 506 – Criminal intimidation
- IPC 201 – Causing disappearance of evidence
- Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act, 2008
Evidence Corroborated by DNA and Forensic Evidence
The Karnataka Police Special Investigation Team (SIT) recovered the the clothing worn by the victim at the time of the sexual assault. Forensics resu-lts matched the DNA profile from the clothes to that of Prajwal Revanna and further bolstered the case against him prior to trial.
Electronic Evidence / Video Evidence
Revanna purportedly recorded his sexual assaults on his mobile phone. Explicit videos of Prajwal Revanna committing the sexual assaults, allegedly more than 40 in total, emerged in the news ahead of Lok Sabha elections where he was contesting from Hassan, as a JDS-BJP candidate, in early April 2024.
Timeline of the Case
- May 2, 2024: Trial commenced and survivor testified in the case.
- December 2024: Chargesheet was filed.
- April 3, 2025: Charges were framed against Revanna.
- August 2, 2025: Sentence pronounced and provided to Revanna.
The case began on early May 5, 2024, when the victim was discovered and rescued after allegedly being criminally confined to a farmhouse in Mysuru for around 43 days. She filed her complaint three days later.
Whistleblower Reveals Disturbing Content
Karthik N, a former driver, testified that he uncovered more than 2,000 explicit photographs, in addition to 40-50 videos on Prajwal’s mobile device. His testimony significantly contributed to the conviction.
Multiple Counts of Revanna’s Trials
Apart from this trial:
- He is also facing a trial regarding repeated sexual assaults on a former member of JDS zilla panchayat
- He also faces accusations of
- Accusations include harassment of the cook’s daughter
Political Fallout and Conspiracy Allegations
Accusations of Political Targeting
Revanna’s family, which includes his father H D Revanna, and grandfather former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, have claimed that the ruling Congress party established a political conspiracy against the family to curtail their influence in Hassan.
Although Prajwal was fielded as a JDS-BJP alliance candidate in 2024 he was ultimately defeated as the public outrage surged after the details about the scandal emerged.
Conclusion
However, this case also reveals further decay—how individuals in politically powerful families can purportedly leverage their political capital to silence victims, influence systems and cover evidence up. But this time the system sided with justice—thanks to the hard work of the investigators, the whistleblowers who came forward, and the survivor’s determination.
Although Revanna faces more challenges with other sexual assault cases, it seems clear that his political family legacy and public persona won’t protect anyone from the truth. And while public anger, media attention and the court’s decision in this case are significant, they represent an emerging shift in public understanding where survivors are increasingly believed, and justice demanded at all levels of society.
This should not be construed as an incident, but rather a wake up call. Political parties from across the ideological spectrum should reject south Asian political dynasties, political capital and their fascist entitlements, and choose integrity and accountability instead. For a healthier democracy, we must demand our leaders refuse to turn a blind eye to allegations of abuse among their affiliates. Justice must not only be done—it must be seen to be done, in a noisily conspicuous manner.