From Parliament to Prison: The Fall of Prajwal Revanna

Prisoner No. 15528: Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former prime minister H. D. Deve Gowda, who once was touted as the political successor of the mighty political dynasty, now sits in jail, devoid of any political leverage, public faith and individual liberty. A Special Court of MPs and MLAs, in Bengaluru, on August 2, 2025, gave the 34-year-old leader a life sentence until the end of natural life in a rape and sexual abuse case of a domestic worker. The ruling is a watershed, devastating judgment to a case that turned Karnataka political scene upside down and second-highest levels revealed were abuses of power.

The case against Prajwal was on the complaint of a 48 years old woman who worked as a domestic help in the farmhouse of Revanna in Hassan district. The prosecution claims that Revanna raped the woman twice once at the farmhouse and the other time at his home in Bengaluru, in 2021. What was most outrageous about this case is that Revanna had reportedly filmed the incidents on his cell phone, which converted an ugly crime to a voyeurism and digital exploitation. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Karnataka government carefully collected evidence and created a solid case under many Indian Penal Code sections including 376(2) (k) and 376(2) (n) relating to rape and 354A, 354B, 354C under sexual harassment and voyeurism along with Section 506 and 201 to criminal intimidation and destruction of evidence. There was also the invocation of Section 66E of the Information Technology Act which covers the violation of the privacy of the victim.

It was a punishing judgment of Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat who presided over the Special Court. He gave two life sentences to Prajwal on rape charges and two years of immediate jail time after finding him guilty on the other charges such as sexual harassment and violating his privacy. The total penalty that was imposed on him stood at 11.5 lakh and the penalty was 11.25 lakh awarded to a survivor. The judgment pointed out the use of his controlling and politics influence repeatedly to take advantage of a vulnerable woman in his home and this proved to be aggravating circumstances which led to the stiff sentencing.

The emotional impact of the verdict was obvious at first sight. Revanna broke down during a medical check-up after he was brought to Bengaluru city on late Saturday night to Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. A top prison official has confirmed that, he was in tears and visibly shaken by the ruling of the court. Vanna who used to be an elected lawmaker is now prisoner 15528 imprisoned in a high-security cell and deprived of all kinds of comforts. Officials at the prison avowed that he will have to experience ordinary procedures such as the wearing of the official convict’s uniform, and none will be given special treatment other than increased security since he is a high-profile case.

Even though the sentence is harsh, and the evidence incriminating, Revanna says he is looking to appeal. He has, reportedly to the prison staff, said that he is appealing against the conviction in the Karnataka High Court. Legal experts observe that this can be technically available to him but the substantiation of the trial court and the investigation by the SIT may make it too tough a task for him to get any immediate relief. He has the right to appeal, which may extend closure of the case to the survivor and the interests of the case to society.

This case has struck fear in the political world and is getting national attention not only because of the seriousness of the case, but also because of the swiftness of the processes of justice. This is very exceptional in a legal system that has constantly been condemned with cases involving sexual offences taking long in terms of investigation, trial, conviction and sentencing, this case took a little over 14 months. The verdict has been criticized by many as a strong statement assuring that no one would be above the law irrespective of his or her lineage or office he or she held.

To the Revanna family and JD(S) there can be a permanent damage. Already struggling with the erosion of his influence, the party has actually suspended Prajwal after he was arrested, but this is a stain that will be tough to remove. This being more to the point, since the survivor whose strength in speaking out against a great deal of pressure was recognized by the SIT authorities, the ruling constitutes an occasion of justice in a nation where the mighty rarely go anywhere.

During the time Revanna gets accustomed to life in a high-security prison as a convicted felon, his lawyer is getting ready to draw the battle higher in High Court of Hockey. In the interim, other sexual assault cases that still remained against him will be pursued as the same. This case will go down the annals of the legal and political history of India as one of the cases that supported people in their views that justice, though it might take a long time, can and is served, and that too promptly in the cases generated even against powerful.