Bengaluru, August 2, 2025
The Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru on Saturday sentenced former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, to life imprisonment for multiple charges of rape and sexual assault, including under sections of the Indian Penal Code related to repeated rape and abuse of power.
Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat pronounced the sentence a day after Revanna was convicted in one of four sexual assault cases filed against him. The court ordered imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life and imposed a fine of ₹11.60 lakh, of which ₹11.25 lakh is to be paid to the victim.
Conviction Under Multiple IPC Sections
Revanna was sentenced under: Section 376(2)(n) – Repeated rape on the same woman. Section 376(2)(k) – Rape by a person in a position of control or dominance over a woman.
This case, filed by a 48-year-old domestic worker from K.R. Nagar, alleged she was raped twice in 2021 on the family’s farm. The acts were filmed and later leaked along with several other explicit videos in April 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. The court reviewed 26 pieces of evidence during the trial.
Emotional Courtroom Scenes
During sentencing, Revanna appeared emotional and wept before the court, alleging political conspiracy. “Why did this come up only during elections? There were no complaints when I was an MP,” he said, adding that the allegations were politically motivated and orchestrated by the police. He also stated, “I have not seen my parents for six months,” and claimed he had a background in mechanical engineering and had entered politics too early.
Despite his claims, the court rejected his arguments. Special Public Prosecutors urged the court to impose the maximum sentence, calling it a message to society and a deterrent to future crimes.
Background and Arrest
Revanna fled the country shortly after the videos emerged and returned only after public appeals by his grandfather H.D. Deve Gowda and uncle, Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy. He was arrested upon arrival in Bengaluru on May 31, 2024, and has remained in judicial custody since. Multiple bail pleas have been rejected.
Of the four cases registered against him, this is the first to result in conviction. Trials are ongoing in the remaining cases.
SIT and Prosecutors Hail Verdict
B.K. Singh, chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT), praised the victim’s courage, noting that she belonged to the “lowest strata of society” while the accused hailed from one of Karnataka’s most powerful political families.
Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Nayak noted that completing the trial within 16 months and convicting a former MP demonstrated the justice system’s effectiveness and sent a strong message about accountability, regardless of status.