Prajwal Revanna: How an undergarment left behind by raped servant became solid evidence against former Hassan MP
An undergarment left behind by one of the survivors in Holenarasipura turned out to be crucial evidence that helped the Special Investigation Team (SIT) to convict former Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna in a rape case.
Former Hassan MP Prajwal is accused of raping several women and recording the acts using mobile phones. A 2,144-page chargesheet was filed in August 2024 in one of the cases, and a second chargesheet was filed in September 2024 covering additional rape allegations. After a special Bengaluru court on Friday convicted the former JD(S) MP of raping a woman, it was revealed that a petticoat played a crucial role in establishing his role in the crime.
According to reports, Revanna had raped the woman, a 48-year-old who worked as a helper in the servant's quarters of his Gannikada farmhouse. The woman reportedly left the garment inside a cupboard at the farmhouse and it was never noticed or destroyed by other workers. After the probe into Revanna's heinous acts began, the probe team visited the farmhouse and was able to recover it from the cupboard. Despite years having passed since the woman's rape, the petticoat still possessed the accused's semen, Deccan Herald said in a report.
While semen traces can fade over time due to humidity and moisture in the area, the cupboard's protection ensured there was still something for the forensic teams to work with. The DNA samples of the survivor were also recovered from the innerwear, further establishing her allegations to be true, the DH report said.
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The woman was allegedly raped twice—at the Hassan farmhouse and Bengaluru residence—in 2021, and the act was recorded by the accused on his mobile phone.
The trial in the case concluded on July 18, and orders were reserved for July 30. However, the judge adjourned the verdict to August 1, seeking clarification on mobile location data and other technical evidence.
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Prajwal was booked under sections 376(2)(k) (being in a position of control or dominance over a woman, commits rape on such woman), 376(2)(n) (repeated rape on the same woman), 354A (sexual harassment), 354B (assault or use of criminal force to a woman with intent to disrobe), 354C (voyeurism), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 201 (disappearance of evidence) of the IPC, and Section 66E (violation of privacy) of the IT Act.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT), which probed the case, filed a 1,632-page chargesheet in September 2024. The prosecution examined 26 witnesses and submitted 180 documents.
India