In a significant legal development, former JDS Member of Parliament, Prajwal Revanna, has been sentenced to life imprisonment and fined ₹10 lakh by a special court for people’s representatives in Bengaluru. The verdict, delivered by Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat in a swift four months, found Revanna guilty of the rape and abduction of a domestic worker from KR Nagar.
This marks the first verdict in a total of four cases against Prajwal Revanna. Three other cases involving sexual assault and rape allegations are still under trial.
During the sentencing arguments, the prosecution lawyers, B.N. Jagadish and SPP Ashok Nayak, advocated for the maximum possible punishment. Conversely, Revanna’s defense lawyer, Nalini Mayegowda, urged the court to consider his political future and age during sentencing. When given the opportunity to speak, Revanna questioned the timing of the allegations, noting they surfaced during the election period, and stated he would accept the court’s decision.
The case gained widespread attention during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when a series of sexual assault allegations and explicit videos allegedly involving Revanna went viral. The specific case leading to his conviction involved the accusation that he raped a woman from KR Nagar and subsequently abducted her to a farmhouse near Hunsur to prevent the incident from coming to light.
Prajwal Revanna’s parents, H.D. Revanna and Bhavani Revanna, are also accused in the abduction case and are currently out on bail. Prajwal Revanna himself has been held at Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Jail since his arrest on May 31, 2024.
