Bengaluru: In a landmark judgment, expelled JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was sentenced to life imprisonment on Saturday by the Special Court for People’s Representatives in Bengaluru. He was convicted for repeatedly raping a 47-year-old domestic worker at his family’s farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district, and for distributing videos of the assaults.
The court also imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh under Section 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code, of which ₹7 lakh is to be awarded as compensation to the survivor. Judge Santosh Gajanana Bhat, who delivered the verdict, had found Revanna guilty of multiple charges on Friday, including rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, destruction of evidence, and offences under the IT Act.
The trial concluded in less than two months after formal proceedings began, and the sentence comes nearly 14 months after Revanna’s arrest. The court proceedings revealed that the survivor had worked at the Revanna farmhouse since 2021 and had been subjected to repeated sexual abuse. She testified that Revanna recorded the incidents and used the videos to silence her.
Revanna broke down in court before the sentencing, pleading for leniency. “Please give me a lesser sentence. I have not seen my mother and father for six months… the only mistake I made was growing fast in politics,” he said while weeping.
The case gained nationwide attention after sexually explicit videos allegedly showing Revanna surfaced during the 2024 Lok Sabha election period. Following polling, he fled the country and was arrested upon his return to Bengaluru on May 31, 2024.
