Life imprisonment meted out to Prajwal Revanna for rape conviction
Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna Sentenced to Life Imprisonment for Rape
Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was handed a life sentence by a Special Court in Bengaluru on August 2, 2025, following his conviction in a rape case. The sentencing hearing took place in the city where Revanna was accused of raping a 48-year-old domestic worker at his family's farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district, Karnataka.
The court found Revanna guilty of multiple offences, including two counts of rape, assault with intent to disrobe, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, causing disappearance of evidence, violations of privacy, and sexual harassment. The acts reportedly occurred in 2021, with some assaults taking place at the farmhouse and others at a residence in Bengaluru. Some assaults were recorded on Revanna's mobile phone, serving as key evidence in the case.
During the sentencing hearing, Revanna pleaded the court for a reduced sentence and claimed he was being targeted because of his "fast political growth." He also stated that his only mistake was growing too fast in politics. However, the conviction is based on substantial evidence, including video recordings, DNA analysis, and survivor testimony, as examined by the Special Investigation Team and the court.
Investigations into the other rape and sexual abuse cases registered against Revanna are still ongoing. Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and son of former Karnataka minister H.D. Revanna, fled to Germany after explicit videos surfaced, but was arrested on May 31, 2024, on his return to India and has been in judicial custody since. This sentence is the first among the four rape and sexual assault cases filed against him.
The prosecution is alleged by Revanna to have brought the women who made the complaints against him deliberately, and he claimed he had done "nothing wrong." The case emerged in the politically sensitive period ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election, suggesting a charged atmosphere around the revelations. However, the conviction focuses on the criminal facts rather than allegations of political targeting.
[1] The Hindu [2] Deccan Herald [3] India Today [4] Times of India
- The sentence handed to former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna for rape has sparked discussions in the general-news segment, with many questioning the role of politics in the case, as it sheds light on the interplay between crime-and-justice, finance, and market sentiments.
- As the market struggles with fluctuating oil prices and economic uncertainty, the politics surrounding the life imprisonment of former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna for rape dominates the headlines in finance, market, politics, and crime-and-justice sectors, offering a stark reminder of the influence of power and privilege on the legal system.
