Prajwal Revanna, former MP 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 dealing with criminal cases against current and former MPs and MLAs. This marks the first conviction among the multiple cases filed against him — three for rape and one for sexual harassment. The case involves a 48-year-old woman who formerly worked as domestic help at the Revanna family’s farmhouse in Gannikada, Hassan.

Deliberations on the sentencing are currently underway, with the court expected to announce the quantum of punishment on Saturday, August 2, 2025.

The trial in this particular case began on May 2, 2025, and concluded in just over two months, with daily hearings. The case was prosecuted by senior advocates Ashok Nayak and B.N. Jagadeesha, while Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat presided over the proceedings.

A chargesheet was submitted in September 2024 by the Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising 1,632 pages and supported by 113 witnesses. Prajwal was charged under multiple sections, including Section 376(2)(k) of the IPC (rape by a person in a position of power), Section 376(2)(n) (repeated rape), and Section 66E of the IT Act (violation of privacy).

According to the chargesheet, the victim was raped twice in 2021 — once at the family home in Hassan and later at their residence in Basavanagudi, Bengaluru. During the first incident, the accused allegedly recorded a video of the act. The SIT recovered the footage, in which the victim is seen crying and resisting. Though Prajwal’s face was not visible in the video, forensic analysis linked him to the footage.

Additionally, forensic evidence played a critical role. The victim had stored her saris in a wardrobe at the Hassan farmhouse, and Prajwal’s DNA was reportedly found on one of them. This, along with the video evidence, formed the core of the prosecution’s case.

The case has drawn significant public and political attention, not only due to Prajwal’s lineage but also the gravity of the allegations and swift progress of the trial.