Ex-MP Prajwal Revanna Gets Life for Rape

BENGALURU: A Special Court for MPs/MLAs, Bengaluru on Saturday sentenced former Janata Dal Secular (JDS) Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna (34) to life imprisonment under Section 276 (N) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) holding him guilty of rape of a 48-year-old domestic help in 2021. The sentence came into immediate effect.

Over the Court order, Special Public Prosecutors-Ashok Naik and B.N. Jagadeesh told reporters the Court imposed a penalty of Rs 11.50 lakh under various sections of IPC and out of the penalty amount, a sum of Rs 11.25 lakh will go to the rape victim. They made it clear Prajwal will serve the rest of his life in the Prison as per the Court order.

The Court convicted Prajwal Revanna on Friday in a rape case and reserved quantum of punishment to Saturday. A Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Naik on Friday told reporters he has made a plea to the Court to award 10 years imprisonment for Prajwal or life-imprisonment considering the charges against him.

The convicted Prajwal made a plea to the Court to lower his sentence. Currently, Prajwal is lodged in Central Prison, Bengaluru over allegations of rape and sexual harassments.

In the convicted case, Prajwal was accused of repeatedly raping a domestic help working at his house in Holenarsipura and video recorded his acts. A rape case was registered against Prajwal at Holenarsipura town of Hassan district in 2024. Meanwhile, Prajwal Revanna faces a couple of cases related to rape/sexual harassment.

Prajwal framed in various criminal charges under Indian Penal Code (IPC) which includes rape of a woman by a person in a dominant position or a position of control, repeatedly raping a woman, outraging modesty of a woman, voyeurism, criminal intimidation and tampering with the evidences.

Over allegations of rape and sexual harassment by Prajwal, the State Government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the allegations and SIT filed its chargesheet in August, 2024.

Prajwal, grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Devegowda, represented Hassan parliamentary seat from 2019-2004, however, he lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Hassan seat as a consensus nominee of JDS-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Just when Lok Sabha election held in May, 2024 ended, Prajwal fled the country after allegations of him indulging in rape and sexual harassment came out and stayed abroad. Police had issued a lookout notice against Prajwal and after a long stay abroad, he returned to Bengaluru on May 31 midnight before he was taken into custody by the police on a body warrant.