The Karnataka High Court has refused to suspend the life sentence awarded to former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna by a trial court in one of the four rape cases registered against him, observing that the nature of allegations, potential influence over witnesses, and multiple pending cases made this “not a fit case for bail.”
A division bench of Justice K S Mudagal and Justice Venkatesh Naik T, delivering the order on Wednesday, emphasised that the gravity of repeated sexual offences, the influential position of the accused, and concerns raised by the prosecution regarding victim and witness safety weighed decisively against suspending the sentence.
The court pointed out that even during the trial, Revanna was never granted bail, and noted that the survivor in this case had delayed reporting the assault due to his political influence.
Appearing for Revanna, Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra contended that the conviction rested on weak evidence and was impacted by a “media trial.”
He questioned the authenticity of electronic evidence, flagged delays in the FIR, and pointed to alleged lapses in forensic procedure.
He further argued that the defence was not given adequate opportunity to make submissions on sentencing and asserted that the allegations stemmed from political vendetta.
Opposing the plea, Special Public Prosecutor Professor Ravivarma Kumar argued that granting bail would pose a danger to the survivor and witnesses, referring to earlier abduction attempts linked to the case.
He stressed that the assaults were allegedly committed against a vulnerable household worker during the COVID-19 lockdown period and highlighted the accused’s alleged non-cooperation, including the failure to surrender his mobile phone.
Kumar reminded the court that after conviction, the legal principle shifts: “jail is the rule, not bail.” He asserted that under law, the survivor’s testimony alone was sufficient to uphold conviction.
The prosecution also informed the court that the appeal itself could be expedited, in line with Supreme Court directions to prioritise cases involving sitting or former legislators.
The bench said that the submissions raised by the defence went to the merits of the appeal and that a detailed re-examination of evidence cannot be undertaken while deciding suspension of sentence. The judges held there was no prima facie illegality in the trial court’s decision.
With bail denied, the High Court has listed Revanna’s appeal for final hearing on January 12, 2026.
The life sentence relates to the case filed by a 48-year-old woman who worked as domestic help at the Revanna family’s Gannikada farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district. She alleged that she was raped twice — once at the farmhouse and again at the Bengaluru residence — in 2021, and that the assault was recorded on the accused’s phone.
The trial court relied on video footage, DNA analysis of hair strands, and biological traces recovered from the survivor’s clothing to arrive at conviction.
Four separate cases alleging rape and sexual harassment have been registered against the former MP. A Special Investigation Team was constituted to probe the accusations after pen drives containing explicit videos allegedly involving Revanna surfaced in Hassan ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
The High Court’s decision keeps Revanna behind bars while his appeal awaits hearing in what has become one of the most closely watched criminal proceedings involving a former Member of Parliament.
