Ex-PM HD Devegowda’s grandson Prajwal Revanna found guilty of raping 47-year-old domestic help

Ex-MP Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former PM H D Deve Gowda, convicted in one of four rape cases

August 1, 2025

Special court finds JD(S) leader guilty in one of four sexual assault cases

A special court for elected representatives on Friday convicted Prajwal Revanna, former Member of Parliament from Hassan and grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda, in a rape case involving a 47-year-old domestic worker. The court found him guilty in one of four separate cases filed against him.

Revanna, 33, was charged under multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act. The court will announce the quantum of punishment on August 1.

Charges and trial details

The special court had earlier framed charges under IPC Sections 376(2)(k) (rape by a person in authority), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation), 201 (destruction of evidence), and Section 66E of the IT Act (violation of privacy).

Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Nayak confirmed that 26 witnesses were cross-examined during the trial, which began on May 2. The prosecution presented 180 documents over 38 hearing dates.

Case background

The victim, a former domestic employee, filed a complaint on April 28, 2024, at the Holenarasipura Town Police Station in Hassan, Karnataka. She accused Revanna of sexually assaulting her at his farmhouse. During the trial, the court reviewed technical evidence, including Google Maps location data and forensic reports, and sought clarification before delivering the verdict.

Initially set for July 30, the verdict was deferred to August 1 following additional queries from the court.

Accusations, flight, and arrest

Prajwal Revanna was arrested on May 31, 2024, upon arrival at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport, following his flight to Munich, Germany, shortly after multiple allegations emerged. He has been held at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison for the past 14 months.

The scandal came to light shortly after the Karnataka Lok Sabha elections, when videos allegedly showing the sexual abuse of multiple women surfaced on social media. Investigators recovered pen drives containing explicit material in Hassan.

In response, the Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) under the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to probe the allegations.

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