Prajwal Revanna Breaks Down in Tears in Bengaluru Court Following Rape Conviction
Suspended JDS leader Prajwal Revanna found guilty in rape and sexual assault case by Bengaluru Special Court
Suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna broke down emotionally and was seen crying in court after being found guilty in a rape and sexual abuse case. The judgment was delivered by the Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru. The quantum of sentence is scheduled to be announced on Saturday.
Revanna, who is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, appeared visibly disturbed and was seen sobbing in the courtroom as Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat delivered the verdict.
In April this year, the court had formally charged Revanna under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including for rape by a person in a position of dominance, repeated sexual assault, outraging the modesty of a woman, assault with intent to disrobe, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, and tampering with evidence, as reported by Bar and Bench.
What Are the Charges Against Revanna?
Revanna is the main accused in four criminal cases filed last year, following the surfacing of more than 2,000 obscene video clips, allegedly showing the sexual exploitation of several women, on social media platforms.
The first FIR was registered in April 2024 by a 48-year-old woman, who had previously worked as domestic staff at his family-owned farmhouse in Hassan.
She alleged that Revanna not only assaulted her but also recorded videos of the abuse, threatening to make them public if she ever spoke out. Fearful, she quit her job and remained silent until the leaked videos came into public view.
As public outrage grew, Revanna fled to Germany shortly after the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in Karnataka. He was arrested on May 31 last year upon his return to India and has been lodged in jail since then.
In June 2024, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police, which was handling the investigation into the sexual abuse and harassment charges, registered a fourth criminal case against him.
