'Broke down, started weeping': Prajwal Revanna in 'tears' after his conviction in rape case; quantum of punishment tomorrow

NEW DELHI: More than a year after explicit videos allegedly featuring former MP Prajwal Revanna triggered a political storm ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, a special court in Bengaluru on Friday convicted him in one of the four rape cases registered against him.

The special court for elected representatives, presided over by Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat, found Revanna guilty in a case involving the rape of a domestic help at his family's Gannikada farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district.


Revanna, who is the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and a now-expelled JD(S) leader, broke down and was seen weeping in court after the verdict was announced, as per news agency ANI.

Also read: Former PM Devegowda's grandson Prajwal Revanna convicted for raping domestic help

The woman, then 48, alleged that she had been raped twice in 2021 and that the acts were recorded on his mobile phone. The quantum of punishment will be announced on Saturday.

The case was originally registered at the Holenarasipura Rural Police Station. The verdict, initially due on July 30, had been delayed as the court sought clarification on technical matters. It was finally delivered on August 1.

Prajwal Revanna is the prime accused in four separate criminal cases, all involving allegations of rape, sexual harassment, and criminal intimidation. The cases came to light in April 2024 after pen drives containing obscene video clips, allegedly involving Revanna, were circulated in Hassan. The scandal erupted just before the Lok Sabha elections, dealing a blow to Revanna’s political career—he lost the Hassan seat by over 40,000 votes.

The Karnataka government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations, and that Revanna was arrested on May 31, 2024 at Bengaluru airport after returning from Germany, where he had stayed for 35 days.

In November 2024, the Supreme Court dismissed his appeal against the Karnataka high court’s rejection of both regular and anticipatory bail. “Dismissed,” said Justice Bela M. Trivedi, while Justice Satish Chandra Sharma added that there were several complaints against him. “You are so powerful,” the bench remarked when senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Revanna, argued that Section 376 (rape) was not cited in the original complaint.

Also Read: Who is Prajwal Revanna? From ex-PM HD Deve Gowda’s grandson to convicted rapist; the political prince who fell from grace

In June 2024, the SIT filed a fourth case against Revanna, this time invoking charges including stalking, criminal intimidation, and violation of privacy under the IT Act. A detailed 1,652-page chargesheet was submitted in a special court, citing statements from 113 witnesses and various forms of forensic evidence.

Revanna remains in judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara Jail, awaiting the court’s sentencing on Saturday.