In a historic ruling, the Bengaluru Special Court for MPs and MLAs convicted former MP Prajwal Revanna of life imprisonment till death on Saturday, in addition to a fine of ₹10 lakh, in a high-profile rape and obscene video case against a 47-year-old woman.
Prajwal Revanna, the son of former Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, was convicted of several serious offenses, including rape and breach of privacy.
The judgment was passed by Judge Santosh Gajanana Bhat, who sentenced him to two life terms under two different sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Revanna was sentenced under IPC Section 376(2)(N) for raping one woman repeatedly, and also a fine of ₹5 lakh. A life sentence and a fine of ₹5 lakh were imposed under IPC Section 376(2)(K), dealing with committing rape while in a dominant or controlling role of over the victim. Out of the total fine, ₹7 lakh has to be paid as compensation to the survivor.
At the time of sentencing, Revanna appeared before the court with hands folded. Earlier during the day, final arguments of the Special Public Prosecutors and Revanna's lawyers were recorded by the court.
Other than the two rapes, the court also found him guilty under IPC Sections 354(B) for assault with an intent to strip, 354(C) for voyeurism, and Section 66(E) of the Information Technology Act for privacy violation. Prosecutors established that Revanna is facing three more cases of a similar nature.
In their final submissions, prosecutors asked the court to impose the maximum punishment. They argued that this was what was needed to restore confidence in the justice system and act as a deterrent to would-be offenders.
Just as the sentence was about to be delivered, Revanna visibly broke down, asking why the case had been timed so that it emerged during the elections. While I was an MP, no case against me was filed. Today, they say I have committed numerous sexual assaults. Why did nobody complain against me then? " he inquired. He also claimed political motivation for the charges, saying, "The police have done this. This is politically motivated. I will accept the court's decision.
I have not seen my parents in six months."
When asked about his educational qualifications, Revanna told the court that he had studied Mechanical Engineering. "You can check my academic records. I am a meritorious student. My only drawback is that I ascended too fast in politics. I won't fault the media," he said.
The case had arisen from a complaint filed by a domestic worker from K.R. Nagar, who charged Revanna with rape and other crimes. The court heard 26 pieces of evidence before announcing the judgment.
The episode became national news when lewd videos allegedly starring Revanna emerged online during the 2024 Lok Sabha election campaign. In one of the videos, which is thought to have been taken at a farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Revanna is allegedly shown sexually assaulting the victim — an elderly domestic help — as she begs him to stop, reminding him of her years of service to his family.
After the election, Revanna flew out of the country, eliciting widespread condemnation. He flew back to India on May 31, 2024, after public requests by his uncle H.D. Kumaraswamy and grandfather H.D. Deve Gowda. When he arrived in Bengaluru, Revanna was arrested.
He has since been detained at Bengaluru Central Jail for more than 14 months, with several attempts at getting bail turned down by various courts.
Friday's verdict that declared him guilty was followed by Saturday's sentencing, a critical juncture in a case that has evoked public outrage and has raised pressing questions about power, justice, and accountability.
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