Prajwal Ravenna Found Guilty in Rape Case.
Prajwal Revanna, the son of former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy and grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, who is a former MP belonging to Janata Dal (Secular) party, was convicted of raping a woman by a Bengaluru special court on August 1, 2025. The case is one of the most controversial accusations in lasting years and has shaken Karnataka's political circles. A chronological series of events is given below.
2021: Assault During COVID Lockdown
The survivor was a 48-year-old domestic help employed at the Revanna family's farmhouse in Hassan's Gannikada. As per the charges, she was twice sexually abused by Prajwal Revanna, once at the farmhouse, and once at his home in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru, in 2021 during the COVID lockdown. The accused allegedly recorded the act on his mobile phone.
April 2024: Case Comes to Light
The case was brought to light in April 2024, prompting public outrage. Subsequently, the woman was allegedly abducted in an effort to keep her quiet.
She was said to have been taken on the instructions of Prajwal's parents, ex-minister H.D. Revanna and Bhavani Revanna, in order to prevent her from giving evidence against their son.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted by Additional Director-General of Police (CID), B.K. Singh, to investigate the case. The team busted the survivor from a farmhouse at K.R. Nagar where she had supposedly been kept under confinement.
July 18, 2025: Trial Ends
After hearing and presenting evidence for several months, the trial ended on July 18, 2025, at the Special Court for criminal cases against MPs and MLAs in Bengaluru.
August 1, 2025: Court Holds Prajwal Revanna Guilty
The court quoted Prajwal Revanna guilty of rape on August 1, 2025. Hearings on the punishment are underway, and a verdict is yet to be issued.
The case has raised controversy throughout country about power dynamics, justice for survivors, and political accountability, especially in light of the suspect's prominent family lineage.
