Expelled JD(S) leader and former Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna was sentenced to life imprisonment and slapped with a Rs 10 lakh fine by the Special Court for People’s Representatives on Saturday. The court also ordered that Rs 7 lakh of this amount be given to the rape survivor—a 48-year-old domestic worker. The sentencing followed the court’s conviction on Friday in one of four rape and sexual abuse cases filed against him. The ruling marks a sharp legal blow to the 34-year-old grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda.
Court Fines Rs 10 lakh, Orders Rs 7 Lakh as Compensation to Survivor
Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat of the Special Court for MPs and MLAs not only gave a life term to Revanna but also imposed a Rs 10 lakh fine. The court directed Rs 7 lakh from this to be handed to the survivor. The remaining amount will go to the state, as per legal protocol and the fine reflects the court’s intent to hold public figures financially accountable in cases of sexual violence.
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Survivor Worked at Revanna’s Family Farmhouse
The case involves a 48-year-old woman employed at the Revanna family’s Gannikada farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan. Revanna raped her twice in 2021—once at the farmhouse and again at a Bengaluru residence. He filmed the assault on his phone and the survivor did not report the crime until pen drives with explicit videos were leaked ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
Charges and Trial Details
Police booked Revanna under many IPC sections including 376(2)(k), 376(2)(n), 354A, 354B, 354C, 506, and 201, along with Section 66E of the IT Act.
And the Special Investigation Team submitted a 1,632-page charge sheet with 113 witnesses in September 2024 and Revanna has remained in judicial custody since May 2024, following his arrest upon return from Germany.
Revanna Sought Leniency, Claimed Political motive
During sentencing, the former MP claimed innocence and argued that his rise in politics made him a target. He wept in court, calling his fast growth his “only mistake” and asked for leniency. He argued that no woman voluntarily filed a complaint and that accusations emerged just before the 2024 elections.
