A mechanical engineer by qualification, the 34-year-old grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and a former MP, Prajwal Revanna is now a convicted rapist and lodged in Bengaluru Central Prison as prisoner number 15528. On August 2, the MLA/MP court in Bengaluru sentenced Prajwal to life imprisonment and fined Rs 11 lakh for raping a 47-year-old domestic worker in Mysuru and recording the assault. Of the four rape and sexual abuse cases against him, this was the first case (rape) that led to trial and conviction. The fine will be paid as compensation to the survivor – a daily wage worker, who had the spine of steel and had withstood shame, agony, social ostracisation and fear of the backlash from the political elite.Pronouncing the maximum sentence of life imprisonment following his conviction in rape, Sessions Judge Santosh Gajanana Bhat, in his 466-page judgement, held that as an MP, Prajwal wielded his political and social dominance to violate a woman employed in his household, coercing her into silence through fear, shame, and manipulation. “What are the safeguards against an arbitrary exercise of power?” The question posed in the judgement echoed through generational trauma of sexual exploitation of disempowered women by the rich and entitled. “What would be the just compensation that can be awarded is a question that requires to be determined;” the tone of the verdict is as poignant as it is pertinent.Prajwal, a member of the 17th Lok Sabha from Hassan constituency – the heartland of Janata Dal (Secular) of his grandfather’s making – was once the third youngest MP. He hails from the affluent, being the grandson of Deve Gowda – the Mannina Maga (son of the soil) – son of former Karnataka minister, HD Revanna and nephew of Union minister and former Karnataka chief minister HD Kumaraswamy. A graduate from Bangalore Institute of Technology, Prajwal discontinued his MTech course in Australia to help his grandfather with the 2014 Lok Sabha election from the JD(S) home turf – Hassan. The latter won the election. Based on a ‘family decision’, Prajwal contested the 2019 Parliament elections and emerged the sole winner in the six out of the 28 Lok Sabha seats contested by the JD(S). Prajwal owed his electoral debut to his grandfather, who gave up Hassan to pave way for the ‘son to rise.’ Deve Gowda, who instead contested from Tumakaru, lost to the BJP.Prajwal’s rise in politics was as sudden as is his downfall. In 2023, based on two petitions, the HC of Karnataka declared his election null and void, directing the EC to take action against Prajwal for election malpractice.His 2024 Lok Sabha campaign was marred amid the ‘sudden’ circulation of pen drives in Hassan containing videos of rape and sexual assault, which Prajwal allegedly shot a week before the Lok Sabha polls. On April 20, his election agent filed an FIR claiming foul play behind the videos. On April 26, Prajwal left the country on a diplomatic passport, soon after polling. On April 27, the Karnataka government formed an SIT to probe the charges against Prajwal Revanna.Three days later, he was suspended by the JD(S). On May 5, the victim lodged a police complaint, alleging sexual violation by Prajwal. On May 31, after a Blue Corner Notice was issued against him, Prajwal returned to India to face probe. The SIT chargesheeted him on September 8. His bail plea was junked by the Supreme Court in November.Trial in the case, which began on May 2 this year, concluded on July 18. Prajwal was convicted on August 1 and sentenced for life the next day. Having considered mitigating factors; that Prajwal was not a repeat offender and has to look after his ageing parents, the court heavily weighed upon the aggravating factors in which the Judge held that this was a “classic case wherein blatant violation of law and procedure were made by the mighty and powerful people.” By his “horrendous act,” Prajwal showed “disgrace to the society which reposed faith in him by getting him elected,” read the verdict.
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