In a major development in Karnataka’s high-profile sexual assault case, a Special Court in Bengaluru on Thursday convicted former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna in connection with a rape complaint filed in April 2024. The verdict marks the first conviction in a series of serious allegations that have haunted the former Hassan MP throughout the year.

The case pertains to a complaint lodged by a domestic worker employed at Revanna’s family farmhouse in Holenarasipura, who accused him of sexually assaulting her repeatedly since 2021. The survivor also alleged that she was blackmailed with explicit videos to ensure her silence. This was the first of at least four criminal cases registered against the former parliamentarian in 2024, following a massive scandal that erupted with the leak of over 2,000 objectionable videos on social media.

The trial concluded on July 18, and the court had reserved its judgment. According to court sources, the quantum of punishment will be announced on Saturday, August 2.

Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, had fled India after the Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka earlier this year, sparking widespread condemnation. He was arrested upon his return to Bengaluru on May 31 and has since remained in judicial custody at the Bengaluru Central Prison.

Investigating the matter, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Karnataka government filed a comprehensive chargesheet in August 2024. The chargesheet reportedly spans four volumes and includes extensive forensic evidence, including verified video footage that allegedly implicates Revanna in multiple instances of sexual exploitation.