Prajwal Revanna Appeals Karnataka HC Against Life Term in Rape Case

Former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna has filed an appeal in the Karnataka High Court challenging his conviction and life imprisonment in a high-profile rape case, seeking to quash the trial court's verdict on grounds of evidentiary inconsistencies and procedural flaws. The Special Court for MPs and MLAs, presided over by Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat, sentenced Revanna on August 2 to "imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life" under Sections 376(2)(k) and 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for repeatedly raping a domestic worker under his control, along with additional terms for sexual harassment, voyeurism, and privacy violations. This marks the first completed trial among four cases against him, triggered by the circulation of explicit videos ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, and underscores the judiciary's push for accountability in cases involving elected officials.

The case revolves around a 48-year-old woman employed at the Revanna family's Gannikada farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district. She alleged that in 2021, Revanna assaulted her twice—once at the farmhouse and again at the family's Bengaluru residence in Banashankari—while recording the acts on his phone, exploiting his position of dominance as her employer.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed by the Karnataka government in May 2024, invoked IPC Sections 376(2)(k) (rape by a person in control), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), 354A (harassment), 354B (criminal force to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (intimidation), and 201 (evidence tampering), plus Section 66E of the IT Act for privacy breach. The court imposed a total fine of Rs 11.5 lakh, directing Rs 11.25 lakh as victim compensation, emphasising the gravity of power imbalances in such crimes.

In his petition, draughted by advocate Basavaraj Sappannavar, Revanna contests the prosecution's narrative, alleging contradictions between the survivor's initial police complaint and courtroom testimony, including claims that police coerced her statement. He questions forensic evidence, such as biological stains on a mattress examined in May 2024—allegedly untouched since the 2021 incidents—and highlights the two-year delay in filing the complaint, as well as the victim's attendance at a 2023 house-warming at the same farmhouse.

The trial relied on video footage, DNA matches from hair strands and fluids on the victim's clothing, and witness accounts, but Revanna argues these were mishandled or fabricated amid a political vendetta. Currently lodged in Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison as a library clerk—earning Rs 522 daily per prison rules—he maintains his innocence, framing the cases as opposition retaliation during his Hassan candidacy.

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Revanna's legal battles trace back to April 2024, when pen drives with over 2,800 explicit videos surfaced in Hassan, prompting his flight to Germany and eventual arrest on May 31 upon return. Expelled from JD(S), the grandson of former PM H.D. Deve Gowda has faced bail rejections from the Karnataka High Court and Supreme Court, with trials in the other three cases ongoing—one initiated, two pending. Last week, the High Court dismissed his bid to transfer two cases from Judge Bhat, citing alleged bias, further eroding his defences. The SIT's probe, led by women officers, has been lauded for efficiency, completing this trial in under 15 months—a rarity in India's overburdened courts.

The High Court has yet to schedule a hearing, but the appeal could influence the trajectory of Revanna's remaining trials and public discourse on sexual violence by the powerful. Victim advocates, including the National Commission for Women, hail the conviction as a milestone, while Revanna's family decries it as "politically motivated". As the case unfolds, it highlights systemic reforms needed in handling digital evidence and power dynamics in abuse allegations, with broader implications for Karnataka's 2028 assembly polls, where the Revanna clan's influence lingers.

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