Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former PM Deve Gowda, convicted in rape case

New Delhi, Aug 1: A special court in Bengaluru on Friday convicted suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna in a high-profile sexual assault case involving the repeated rape of his former domestic help. The verdict was delivered by Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat reports Bar & Bench. Revanna, who is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, was found guilty under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including Sections 376(2)(k) and 376(2)(n) relating to rape by a person in a position of power and repeated rape, respectively. He was also convicted under Sections 354A, 354B, 354C (relating to outraging modesty and voyeurism), Section 506 (criminal intimidation), and Section 201 (destruction of evidence).

In addition, the court found him guilty under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, which deals with the violation of privacy through the circulation of explicit images. The sentence is expected to be pronounced on Saturday.

According to Bar and Bench, the case stems from allegations made by a former maid employed at the Revanna family’s farmhouse, who claimed she was sexually assaulted multiple times beginning in 2021.

She alleged that Revanna recorded videos of the assaults and used them to threaten her into silence. Public outcry grew after thousands of such videos, reportedly over 2,900, were leaked online, prompting her to file a formal complaint.

Following the revelations, Revanna fled to Germany after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but was arrested upon his return to India on May 31, 2024. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) later filed a voluminous chargesheet in August 2024.

Revanna had sought discharge from the case, questioning the delay in the complaint and claiming the allegations were fabricated to damage his reputation. The court, however, ruled that the complainant’s testimony was credible enough to proceed and rejected the discharge plea in April 2025. The trial court also upheld the SIT’s authority to investigate and file the chargesheet, despite arguments to the contrary by Revanna’s legal team.