BENGALURU, AUGUST 1, 2025 — In a major development, a trial court in Bengaluru has convicted suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna for repeatedly raping his maid, recording the act, and threatening to leak the footage. The order was passed on Friday by Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat.
The hearing on the quantum of sentence is scheduled for tomorrow.
CHARGES FRAMED AGAINST PRAJWAL REVANNA
In April 2025, the trial court framed multiple serious criminal charges against Revanna under the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
Section 376(2)(k) – Rape by a person in a position of control or dominance
Section 376(2)(n) – Repeated rape of the same woman
Section 354A – Outraging the modesty of a woman
Section 354B – Assault or criminal force with intent to disrobe
Section 354C – Voyeurism
Section 506 – Criminal intimidation
Section 201 – Causing disappearance of evidence
Additionally, Revanna was charged under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2008, for violating privacy by circulating private images without consent.
CASE BACKGROUND: ALLEGATIONS AND EVIDENCE
The case originated from allegations made by a maid employed at a farmhouse owned by the Revanna family. According to her, the first incident of rape occurred around 2021, during the COVID-19 lockdown.
She alleged that Revanna filmed the assault and used the footage to blackmail her, which prevented her from speaking out. She later quit her job and remained silent until videos of sexual assaults were leaked online, sparking massive public outcry.
Reports suggest that over 2,900 videos involving the sexual assault of multiple women were shared on social media and other platforms, allegedly linked to Revanna.
This prompted the maid to file a complaint in 2024. Four separate cases were eventually registered against Revanna.
REVANNA’S FLIGHT AND ARREST
Amid growing backlash and legal heat, Prajwal Revanna fled to Germany shortly after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka. Upon returning to India on May 31, 2024, he was arrested and has remained in jail since.
The case was probed by a Special Investigation Team (SIT), which filed a chargesheet in August 2024.
DISCHARGE APPLICATION AND COURT’S REJECTION
Revanna moved an application seeking to be discharged from the case, arguing lack of evidence and claiming the accusations were fabricated to defame him.
His legal counsel questioned the delay in reporting the alleged assaults, emphasizing that the first alleged incident occurred in 2021.
However, the SIT countered that four volumes of material evidence were collected, and that forensic analysis confirmed the authenticity of the assault videos.
On April 3, 2025, the trial court rejected the discharge application, stating:
“There is sufficient material to frame charges and conduct a trial.”
The Court emphasized that:
“Issues such as delay in reporting the crime and failure to recover the original device on which visuals of the alleged assault were recorded may have to be explained by the prosecution.”
However, these are matters for the trial stage, not during discharge proceedings. The Court noted that the victim’s testimony appeared trustworthy enough to merit trial.
CHALLENGE TO SIT’S AUTHORITY ALSO DISMISSED
Revanna also argued that the SIT lacked the authority to file a chargesheet, claiming it was not a designated “police station.” The court rejected this argument as well, allowing the case to move forward.
NEXT STEPS
The Court has scheduled a hearing on sentencing for tomorrow. The conviction marks a significant milestone in the case that has drawn nationwide attention due to its shocking nature and high-profile accused.
