Bengaluru, 30 Sept

Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna has filed an appeal in the Karnataka High Court against his conviction and life sentence in one of the sexual abuse and rape cases registered against him.

Last month, a special court sentenced Prajwal to imprisonment for the remainder of his life and imposed a total fine of Rs 11.50 lakh, of which Rs 11.25 lakh is designated for the victim.

The case involves a 48-year-old woman who worked at the family’s farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district, and was allegedly raped twice in 2021. The court relied on video recordings, DNA analysis, and biological traces to convict him.

Prajwal, arrested in May, 2024, has challenged the verdict on multiple grounds. His petition highlights alleged contradictions between the survivor’s police complaint and testimony, questions the credibility of prosecution evidence, and points to delays in filing the complaint. He also noted that the survivor attended a family housewarming event in 2023.

The politician faces separate charges in three other cases. Last week, the Karnataka High Court dismissed his plea to transfer two cases alleging judicial bias.

A hearing date for his latest appeal has not been scheduled. Investigations into the remaining cases, which include rape and sexual harassment charges, continue, with authorities examining evidence including pen-drives containing explicit recordings.