In a landmark judgment, Prajwal Revanna, former Member of Parliament from Hassan and grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, has been convicted in a rape case by the Special Court of Sessions in Bengaluru, which handles criminal cases against current and former legislators. The trial pertains to the first of four cases registered against him—three involving rape and one for sexual harassment. This particular case was filed by a 48-year-old woman who had worked as domestic help at the Revanna family farmhouse in Gannikada, Hassan. The sentencing is scheduled to be announced on August 2, 2025.

The trial, which began on May 2, 2025, progressed swiftly with daily hearings and concluded in just over two months. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) filed a 1,632-page chargesheet in September 2024, backed by statements from 113 witnesses. Prosecutors alleged that the victim was raped twice in 2021—first at the Revanna residence in Hassan and then at their Basavanagudi home in Bengaluru. Key evidence included a video recording of the first incident, which showed the victim resisting and in distress. Although Prajwal’s face was not visible, forensic analysis linked him to the footage. Investigators also found his DNA on a sari belonging to the victim, further strengthening the prosecution’s case.

Prajwal was charged under multiple sections, including IPC 376(2)(k) for rape by a person in a position of dominance, IPC 376(2)(n) for repeated rape, and Section 66E of the IT Act for violation of privacy. The case has triggered massive political and public outrage across Karnataka, with calls for accountability and justice gaining momentum. Senior advocates Ashok Nayak and B.N. Jagadeesha represented the prosecution, and Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat presided over the case. With the conviction now confirmed, attention is focused on the quantum of punishment, which will set a precedent for future cases involving high-profile individuals.