A Bengaluru court on Friday convicted Prajwal Revanna, a Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former Member of Parliament, for sexually assaulting a former domestic worker at his family's farmhouse.
The verdict was delivered by a special court designated for cases involving elected representatives. Sentencing is scheduled for Saturday.
Revanna, aged 34, broke down in tears as he was escorted out of the courtroom following the conviction. This case is one of four rape complaints filed against him in Hassan district last year, which came to light after several videos allegedly showing him committing sexual assaults surfaced shortly before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Revanna, who was the JD(S) candidate from Hassan, lost that election.
The trial leading to his conviction began on May 2, starting with the survivor’s testimony, Indian Express reported.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Karnataka Police submitted a detailed 1,632-page chargesheet in the case in December 2024, with formal charges framed against Prajwal Revanna on April 3, 2025.
Revanna faced accusations under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape committed while in a position of authority, sexual harassment, and criminal intimidation.
The case originated from a complaint filed by a middle-aged woman on May 8, 2024. Just days earlier, on May 5, she had been rescued from a farmhouse near Mysuru, where she was allegedly held against her will after being identified in explicit videos reportedly recorded by Revanna on his mobile phone.
Revanna, who had left for Germany after the videos surfaced publicly on April 26, was arrested on May 31, 2024, upon his return to India.
The prosecution's case relied heavily on video recordings, forensic analysis, and the testimony of 113 witnesses submitted as part of the chargesheet.