A Special court in Bengaluru has sentenced Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former MP Prajwal Revanna, to suffer life imprisonment, in the first rape case registered against him at the Holenarasipura Rural Police Station.
A Special court in Bengaluru has sentenced Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, to suffer life imprisonment, in the first rape case registered against him at the Holenarasipura Rural Police Station. Prajwal Revanna, grandson of ex-PM HD Deve Gowda, was convicted in the case yesterday.
The case concerns a 48-year-old woman who was working as a help at the family’s Gannikada farmhouse in Hassan and was allegedly raped twice, once at the farmhouse and then at his house at Basavanagudi in Bengaluru during the COVID lockdown period in 2021, and the act recorded by the accused on his mobile phone.
Prajwal Revanna Gets Life Sentence For Rape, Fined Rs 10 Lakh
The Special Court for People’s Representatives, presided over by Judge Gajanana Bhat, convicted Revanna under Section 376(2)(k) and 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code, which deal with rape committed by a person in a position of authority and repeated rape, respectively. Both sections attracted life imprisonment, meaning Revanna will spend the rest of his life behind bars.
Additionally, the court awarded, three years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 354 (outraging a woman’s modesty), three years under Section 354B (assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe), and imposed a Rs 10 lakh fine, of which Rs 7 lakh must be paid as compensation to the survivor.
This verdict marks a significant legal setback for Prajwal Revanna and is one of the harshest punishments delivered to a sitting or former MP in a sexual assault case.
Earlier this year, the special court had framed charges against Prajwal under sections 376(2)(k) (raping a woman over whom one has control or power), 376(2)(n) (repeatedly raping the same woman), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (disrobing a woman), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 201 (destruction of evidence) of the then Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 66E (violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act.
Special public prosecutor Ashok Nayak told Asianet News that 26 witnesses were cross-examined during the trial, which commenced on May 2 this year.
“It took 38 adjournments/dates to complete the trial, including argument dates. The prosecution examined 26 witnesses and marked 180 documents as exhibits,” he said.
What’s Next for Revanna?
Legal experts say Prajwal Revanna still has options left. He can challenge the verdict in the Karnataka High Court. If the High Court grants a stay, he may also pursue bail in the other three pending cases.
However, if the High Court upholds the trial court’s ruling, his last resort will be to appeal in the Supreme Court. Should the apex court also validate the lower court’s decision, Revanna will be left with no escape from serving the full sentence.
Meanwhile, the courtroom on Saturday was packed with lawyers, media personnel, and onlookers — all witnessing a high-profile political figure being brought to justice. The prosecution was led by Special Public Prosecutors B.N. Jagadeesh and S.P.P. Ashok Nayak, who presented the case for the state.