Pramesh S Jain
Former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna was sentenced to “imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life”by a special court on Saturday,a day after he was convicted of raping a domestic worker multiple times on his family’s farm,one of four cases of rape and sexual abuse filed against him.
Revanna,the former MP from Hassan in Karnataka,is the grandson of former Prime Minister and JD(S) supremo H.D.Deve Gowda.He was suspended from the party in the wake of multiple rape allegations.
Delivering his verdict,Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat of the Special Court of Sessions for criminal cases against former and present MPs and MLAs convicted Revanna on all the charges framed against him in this case.
Maximum punishment:
While Revanna was sentenced to“imprisonment for life which shall mean remainder of natural life”under Section 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code (repeated rape on the same woman), the maximum punishment possible under the Section,he was also sentenced to “imprisonment for life” under Section 376(2)(k) (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman,commits rape on such woman),apart from a host of other sections of the IPC and Information Technology Act, 2000.
The judgement also imposed a total penalty of Rs.11.60 lakh on the convict and ordered that Rs.11.25 lakh be paid to the victim in the case.
‘Political conspiracy’:
In a packed court on Saturday,Revanna broke down after the verdict was declared, alleging a“political conspiracy” behind the case.
The victim in this case was a 48-year-old domestic worker employed on the family’s farm who was raped twice in 2021,with the act being filmed by the former MP.
The video of the rape was leaked,along with several other explicit clips featuring nearly a hundred women,in April 2024,days ahead of the Lok Sabha election.
‘Victim’s fight is inspiring’
Following the verdict, B.K. Singh,Chief of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the allegations against Revanna, said the victim in the case belonged to the lowest strata of society.Her fight against the accused, who belongs to the most powerful political family of the State, was “inspiring”,he said.
Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Nayak said the trial being completed within a year and four months after the case was registered,and the conviction of a former MP, had sent out a strong message.
This is the first case against Revanna where the trial has been completed. While trial has begun in another case, it is yet to begin in two other cases.
