Prajwal Revanna sentenced to life in prison for raping domestic worker in Karnataka sex scandal

A special court in Bengaluru on Aug 2 sentenced Prajwal Revanna, former Lok Sabha MP from Hassan and grandson of former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda, to life imprisonment for raping a 47‑year‑old domestic worker.

The court additionally imposed a ₹5 lakh fine, delivering a verdict that marked a significant milestone in a scandal that shook Karnataka’s political circles.

Revanna, who was convicted on August 1 in one of the four pending rape cases against him, reportedly broke down in court and pleaded for the minimum possible punishment before the sentence was handed down.

Testimony, medical reports, and video evidence were key in the court’s decision.

Since April 2024, 26 witnesses were examined and over 180 documents were submitted in the trial, which concluded after 38 court dates.

Revanna faces allegations under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including repeat rape, sexual harassment, disrobing, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, and violation of IT privacy laws.

His legal troubles began when explicit videos allegedly involving Revanna circulated widely in Hassan ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Authorities registered four separate criminal cases, including charges by a domestic worker who accused him of repeated sexual assault and threats.

A Special Investigation Team subsequently arrested him at Kempegowda International Airport in Bengaluru on May 31, 2024, after he returned from Germany where he had travelled on a diplomatic passport.

Revanna had previously sought bail multiple times, all of which were rejected by the special court, Karnataka High Court, and ultimately the Supreme Court, which in November 2024 cited his influence and potential to interfere with judicial processes.
The Times of India

In the court he reportedly said his only mistake was growing fast in politics, as he emotionally broke down and sought lesser punishment from the bench.

Prajwal was arrested by SIT on May 31 last year as he arrived at Bengaluru airport from Germany. He had left the country in April after video clips allegedly showing him sexually abusing women began circulating in Karnataka’s Hassan, from where he had won the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.