Bengaluru, 2 August: In a searing judgment delivered on Thursday, a special court in Bengaluru described former MP Prajwal Revanna as “a predator cloaked in privilege and power”, holding him guilty of rape, intimidation, and criminal misconduct under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Information Technology Act.
“The accused weaponised his position, misused trust, and repeatedly violated the bodily integrity and dignity of the survivor,” the court observed. “His acts were not of [a] momentary lapse, but of a sustained and premeditated nature. This was a man who believed the law would never reach him.”
The court, set up to fast-track cases involving elected representatives, rejected all arguments for leniency. In remarks that left the courtroom stunned, the judge noted, “The evidence presented paints the portrait of a man who saw women not as individuals, but as disposable subjects of gratification — recorded, silenced, erased.”
A House of Horror Behind a Political Dynasty
The conviction pertains to a complaint filed by a 47-year-old domestic worker who served at Revanna’s ancestral farmhouse near Hassan. The survivor recounted how she was raped on multiple occasions in 2021 — assaults that were not only repeated but recorded on a mobile phone, allegedly by Revanna himself.
Forensic examination confirmed the videos were genuine. A DNA match between semen stains on the survivor’s clothing and Revanna’s profile further sealed the case. Investigators also established that he had threatened her with social ruin and violence should she speak out.
“The footage was horrifying,” a senior CID official told this reporter on condition of anonymity. “He looked straight into the camera after the assault. He knew he was untouchable.”
But it wasn’t just one case. The survivor was among several women who eventually came forward — some employees, some villagers, a few anonymous — detailing a pattern of coercion and abuse. Investigators unearthed at least four such cases between 2019 and 2023, two of which involve underage girls, according to police officials.
Fugitive to Convict: A Fall from Power
When the scandal broke wide in April 2024, it sent shockwaves across Karnataka. Thousands of pen drives containing sexually explicit videos allegedly involving Revanna were anonymously distributed across Hassan — triggering protests, police FIRs, and unprecedented public outrage.
Even as his party, the Janata Dal (Secular), scrambled to contain the damage, Revanna quietly flew to Germany using a diplomatic passport. He remained there for nearly a month, drawing accusations of fleeing justice. Upon his return, he was arrested at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, and placed in judicial custody.
His political lineage — grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and son of senior JD(S) leader H.D. Revanna — offered little insulation as multiple cases began to pile up. The party suspended him. His constituency, Hassan, turned on him. And his once-calculated rise in state politics collapsed overnight.
The Trial That Surprised Even Cynics
Legal observers had anticipated delay tactics, procedural bottlenecks, and witness hostility. Instead, what followed was one of the most efficient high-profile trials in recent memory. Over 100 witnesses were examined. Experts authenticated videos. Medical and voice analysis corroborated claims. And most importantly, the survivor’s testimony remained unwavering.
“The court’s tone was unusually scathing,” said Advocate Rashmi Kulkarni, a legal analyst in Bengaluru. “It didn’t just convict Revanna — it condemned the culture of impunity around political dynasties.”
The defence’s plea that the acts were “consensual” or “fabricated for political motives” was dismissed as baseless, with the court underlining the “gross abuse of power differentials and economic vulnerability of the victim.”
JD(S) and the Silence of Power
The Janata Dal (Secular), once defiant in defence of its young MP, has remained largely silent. No senior family member was present in court. The party has issued no statement on the conviction, nor clarified its stand on Revanna’s pending cases.
Internally, party leaders are said to be in damage-control mode. With elections approaching and the JD(S) alliance with the BJP already on uneasy footing, Revanna’s conviction has become an embarrassment the party can ill afford.
More Cases, More Women, and a Broader Reckoning
While this was the first conviction, Revanna faces at least three more pending rape and sexual assault cases. One involves a former panchayat employee who claimed she was abducted and confined for over a week. Another case pertains to a minor house help.
“There is a pattern here — young or poor women, trusted employees, and a consistent use of threat and video,” said a CID official close to the investigation. “This was not a mistake. It was a modus operandi.”
Women’s groups across the state have hailed the judgment as a turning point. “This shows that survivors can take on political powerhouses and still be believed,” said Kavita Rajagopal, a gender rights activist.
What Happens Next
The court is expected to pronounce the sentence later today. Prosecutors have sought the maximum penalty — life imprisonment — citing the calculated nature of the crime and the survivor’s trauma. Legal experts believe a sentence of no less than 10 years is inevitable.
As he awaited sentencing in judicial custody, Revanna reportedly broke down in court. But for the survivor, and for many watching, justice may have finally caught up with one of Karnataka’s most protected political heirs.
