Prajwal Revanna conviction a lesson, justice delivered: Victim's lawyer

Commenting on the conviction of Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, in the obscene video and rape case, Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Nayak, who represented the state, said that justice has been delivered to the victim and called the conviction a significant lesson.

Speaking to the media on Friday, after the verdict was announced at the premises of the Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru, Ashok Nayak said, "The court has pronounced Prajwal Revanna guilty in the rape case. The verdict has been delivered, and the quantum of punishment will be announced on Saturday."

"At this stage, I want to convey one thing -- we are happy that justice has been served to the victim. I also want to congratulate the Special Investigation Team (SIT) Chief, B.K. Singh, SP Sumana, Seema Latkar, and Investigating Officer Shobha. This conviction is a significant lesson," Nayak stated.

Additional Public Prosecutor H.K. Jagadish said the court convicted Prajwal Revanna under all sections he was charge-sheeted for -- Sections 376 (N), 376 (K), 354 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and Section 66 of the Information Technology Act.

"The court considered 118 witnesses named in the charge sheet. In addition, 180 documents were submitted, and 28 witnesses were examined during the trial. After reviewing all the evidence, the court found Prajwal Revanna guilty," Jagadish explained.

He further noted that the victim's statement played a crucial role in the conviction. "Her testimony was considered an important piece of evidence. The court also gave due weight to the digital evidence presented against Prajwal Revanna," he said.

Jagadish pointed out that the convict had made several attempts to delay the legal proceedings. "He approached the High Court twice -- first claiming that he hadn't been given copies of the obscene videos, and later that he was unable to find legal representation. The High Court upheld the trial court's order on both occasions," he added.

The Special Public Prosecutor also highlighted that, as per Supreme Court guidelines and the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), trials in rape cases must be completed within two months. "This case was committed to the Special Court in December 2024. After two to three months for framing of charges and hearings, the conviction has now been delivered," Jagadish stated.

He concluded by reiterating the importance of the victim's role in the case: "Her statement was powerful. She convinced the court in her own language and manner, and that played a key role in securing the conviction."

In a major development, the Special Court for MPs/MLAs in Bengaluru on Friday found Prajwal Revanna guilty in the obscene video and rape case. The verdict was delivered by Judge Santhosh Gajanana Bhat. The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment on Saturday, after allowing the convict and his counsel to make final submissions.