BENGALURU:
A special court for elected representatives in Bengaluru on Friday convicted former MP and suspended JD(S) leader Prajwal Revanna in one of the four sexual abuse and rape cases filed against him. The verdict pertains to the rape of a 47‑year‑old domestic help at a farmhouse in Hassan district’s Holenarasipura, with the court describing the evidence as compelling.
The accused is a scion of the influential Gowda political family and grandson of former Prime Minister H. D. Deve Gowda. In court, Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat reserved the quantum of punishment, which is scheduled to be announced on Saturday, 2 August.
Revanna, visibly shaken, broke down after the verdict was delivered. Reports say he was seen wiping away tears inside the courtroom and appeared devastated as he left. The conviction marks a rare early conclusion in a high‑profile case, registered roughly 14 months ago.
The victim, who served as domestic staff at the Revanna family farmhouse in Gannikada, alleged that she was raped twice in 2021, both incidents purportedly recorded on the accused’s mobile phone. Authorities also found obscene video clips involving multiple women, which surfaced ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Hassan and were widely circulated via pen‑drives. The Karnataka government had constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations under sections including rape, criminal intimidation, voyeurism, and unlawful dissemination of intimate images.
Revanna fled India in April 2024, departing for Germany on his diplomatic passport without prior political clearance. He was later arrested by the SIT on 31 May 2024 upon arrival in Bengaluru from Munich and has since been detained at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. Multiple bail pleas filed by the accused, at the special court, the Karnataka High Court, and the Supreme Court, were repeatedly rejected. The apex court, on 11 November 2024, observed: “The accused is powerful as well as influential and could harm the trial”.
Legal observers note that the conviction in this case may influence proceedings in the three other pending cases involving Revanna. His political future and standing within JD(S) are now in jeopardy, with his suspension from the party remaining in effect.
Public reaction to the verdict has been one of shock and condemnation. Civil society groups have hailed the conviction as a sign that justice can prevail against powerful individuals. Political circles are closely watching whether the verdict will prompt introspection within the JD(S) and among the wider network associated with the regional political establishment.
With sentencing imminent on 2 August, attention now turns to whether Revanna will seek to appeal the verdict. Appeals are expected to be filed in the Karnataka High Court and, subsequently, if necessary, in the Supreme Court. Meanwhile, the ruling is likely to become a landmark case in the discourse around political accountability and gender justice in India.
