Prajwal Revanna Sentenced to Life Imprisonment: How the Shocking Scandal Unfolded

Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna has been sentenced to life imprisonment by a special court in Bengaluru for the rape of a 47-year-old domestic worker. The grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, Prajwal has also been fined ₹10 lakh.

The special court convicted him of raping a 47-year-old domestic worker. The former MP was found guilty of rape, sexual harassment, voyeurism, destruction of evidence, and offences under the Information Technology Act.

Prajwal reportedly broke down in court when the verdict was announced. Requesting leniency, he claimed that his “only mistake was to grow faster as a politician.”

The case, which came to be known as the Hassan sex scandal, made headlines in early 2024, months ahead of the general elections, when hundreds of pen drives allegedly containing over 2,000 explicit videos and images were circulated in his constituency.

The 47-year-old domestic worker filed a complaint against Prajwal, accusing him of rape and intimidation. The court examined 26 witnesses before delivering its verdict.

The woman, who worked at the family farmhouse, alleged that Prajwal raped her three times during the 2021 COVID lockdown. He also allegedly videotaped the assaults and threatened her against reporting them.

The Karnataka government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on April 27, 2024, to investigate the allegations. The very next day, on April 28, Prajwal allegedly fled to Germany using his diplomatic passport, as media and police scrutiny intensified.

Former PM Deve Gowda publicly admonished his grandson, urging him to return to India and face the law, and asserting that anyone involved should be held accountable.

After Prajwal was suspended from JD(S) in May, Interpol issued a Blue Corner Notice on May 5. He was eventually arrested at Bengaluru Airport on May 31 upon returning to India and was remanded to SIT custody.

A special court for elected representatives began trial proceedings in May 2025, in the first of four rape cases filed against him. He faced multiple charges, including repeated rape, voyeurism, intimidation, and destruction of evidence, all related to the domestic worker.

On August 1, the court convicted Prajwal of rape and sexual harassment in the case involving the 47-year-old woman. On August 2, the court formally sentenced him to life imprisonment, marking a dramatic legal and political downfall for the young politician.

Prajwal had joined the JD(S) in 2015 and became the third youngest MP in Parliament when he won the Lok Sabha seat from Hassan.