Former MP Prajwal Revanna Convicted of Rape in Landmark Verdict
A special court in Bengaluru has convicted former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna in a rape case involving a 48-year-old employee at his family's farmhouse. This is the first conviction among four cases filed against him after hundreds of videos allegedly showing him sexually assaulting multiple women surfaced before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The verdict marks a significant development in a case that sparked national outrage and led to his arrest after he fled to Germany.
Unpacked:
Prajwal Revanna was charged with rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, and unlawful circulation of intimate images. The court convicted him on all these charges, relating to his repeated sexual assault of a domestic help and threats to release videos of the abuse if she spoke out.
National outrage was triggered when hundreds of explicit videos allegedly showing Prajwal Revanna sexually assaulting multiple women surfaced ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This led to widespread public and political condemnation, investigations, and his arrest after fleeing to Germany.
Prajwal Revanna is the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and a now-expelled Janata Dal (Secular) leader. His conviction has political significance due to his family's prominence and the timing before major elections, raising issues of accountability among political elites.
This conviction is the first among four cases. The other cases, based on similar allegations from different women, are at various stages. In June 2024, a fourth case included charges like stalking, criminal intimidation, and IT Act violations, with a detailed chargesheet filed and further proceedings pending.