Forensic experts used advanced techniques typically employed in international child pornography cases to establish Prajwal Revanna’s identity in obscene videos. Authorities confirmed that these methods played a crucial role in verifying the authenticity of the visual evidence.
A Special Court in Bengaluru has sentenced Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former MP Prajwal Revanna to life imprisonment in connection with the rape case filed against him at the Holenarasipura Rural Police Station.
The court has also imposed a fine of Rs.10 lakh on him.
A trial court in Bengaluru convicted suspended Janata Dal (Secular) leader Prajwal Revanna on Friday for allegations of repeatedly raping his maid and recording videos of the assaults.
The ruling was delivered by Additional City Civil and Sessions Judge Santhosh Gajanan Bhat.
They employed advanced techniques typically used in international child pornography investigations to confirm his identity, as reported on Saturday.
Convicted in a rape case and awaiting sentencing, suspended JD(S) leader and former MP Prajwal Revanna requested a lighter punishment, asserting that he did nothing wrong and that his only mistake was his rapid rise in politics.
Prajwal became emotional in court on Saturday as he appealed for leniency. He informed the judge that he is a BE Mechanical graduate who has always succeeded based on merit.
He stated,
“They say that I have raped multiple women, but none of the women have come out voluntarily to complain; they came six days prior to the election (Lok Sabha polls last year)…the prosecution side brought them purposefully and made them give a complaint,”
He pointed out that the victim had not disclosed the alleged rape to anyone, including her husband or family, until certain videos were circulated.
Prajwal expressed his willingness to accept the court’s decision, saying,
“I have a family, I have not seen my mother and father for six months now… please give me a less sentence is what I request the court.”
He added,
“The only mistake I made in my life is growing fast in politics.”
The investigators drew insights from cases in Turkey and Japan, where a man was identified by analyzing body characteristics like genitalia and scars in a case involving explicit images sent to a girl.
In Prajwal’s situation, screenshots from the video were meticulously examined, focusing on visible body parts such as genitals, palms, fingers, ankles, toes, and feet. A specialized team of forensic experts, dermatologists, urologists, and orthopedists compared these features with Prajwal’s.
Voice analysis was also performed since Prajwal’s voice was recorded during the assault. His identity was scientifically confirmed through distinct characteristics, including a mole on his left middle finger, a scar on his left hand, and specific bone structures.
Additionally, police seized a petticoat from the service quarters of the farmhouse, which contained semen matching Prajwal’s DNA, along with the victim’s DNA. Notably, the petticoat had remained untouched for almost three years, allowing investigators to retrieve usable forensic samples.
Earlier in April, the trial court had outlined various criminal charges against Revanna under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including:
- Section 376(2)(k) (rape by a person in a position of dominance);
- Section 376(2)(n) (repeated rape);
- Section 354A (outraging modesty);
- Section 354B (assault or use of criminal force to disrobe);
- Section 354C (voyeurism);
- Section 506 (criminal intimidation); and
- Section 201 (causing the disappearance of evidence).
Additionally, Revanna faced charges under Section 66E of the Information Technology Act, 2008, which penalizes violations of personal privacy, such as sharing private images without consent.
He is the primary suspect in four cases stemming from the circulation of over 2,900 videos showing the sexual assault of multiple women on various online platforms.
The first case was initiated in April of last year by a domestic worker previously employed at the Revanna family’s farmhouse. She alleged that Prajwal Revanna raped her repeatedly and threatened to release footage of the assaults if she spoke out, with the first incident reportedly occurring in 2021.
A trial court in Bengaluru has charged Revanna with several offenses, including rape, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, and the unauthorized distribution of private images.
The court, On July 18, reserved its judgment.
Following public opposition, Revanna fled to Germany after the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but was arrested upon returning to India on May 31, 2024, and has been in custody since. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) that investigated the case submitted its chargesheet in August 2024.
Suspended JD(S) leader and former MP Prajwal Revanna is facing multiple rape and sexual assault cases, following the leak of over 2,900 objectionable videos involving several women. After fleeing the country in April 2024, he returned and is currently in custody.