Hassan: A young woman’s life changed the day she accused former Lok Sabha MP Prajwal Revanna of sexual assault a year ago. Whisked away from Hassan to a safehouse in Bengaluru, her world has shrunk. Just to take her young children on a brief holiday to a small town in the Western Ghats a few weeks ago, she had to write two letters, offer countless explanations, and secure formal permission.
Since her complaint on 28 April 2024, her life has been upended. She is in exile, living in a single room with her parents and children.
“We can’t move around anywhere. The children cannot remain locked up forever. How long can we live like this?” said the woman, whose relative too was allegedly raped by Revanna. Last year, Hassan’s reputation as a place known for its magnificent Hoysala-era temples and lush landscapes was shattered by rape allegations from four women against Prajwal Revanna—a scion of the ‘first family’ of the Karnataka district. His grandfather, HD Deve Gowda, is a former Prime Minister of India and leader of the Janata Dal (Secular). His uncle, HD Kumaraswamy, served as chief minister of Karnataka. His father, HD Revanna, who was briefly arrested in connection with a related abduction case, is an MLA.
Even today, there are undercurrents of tension in Hassan city. Public sentiment toward the Revannas swings from adulation to fear. Conversations about the issue are met with silence or monosyllabic responses. The men who circulated graphic videos of women being sexually abused are yet to be held accountable. At least three women have attempted suicide since then. Several families have fled their homes for fear of humiliation. Those who stayed behind are always wary, suspicious of every glance directed their way.
While the women who stepped forward live in fear, with their movements restricted and monitored by the police, it’s business as usual for the Revanna family in their stronghold.
“We have left everyone behind and are in isolation. We can’t move around or socialise freely. When people look at us, we feel as though it is to confirm if it is us from the videos or pictures. Not one person who shared the videos thought about the impact it would have on the women,” said another victim.
Although Prajwal is currently in judicial custody, the lack of progress in his trial—pertaining to only one of his accusers— has left victims with little confidence in the process. The trial began on Wednesday but stalled the same day after the defence counsel first accused the judge of bias and later resigned himself. Prajwal was in court that day, as was one of the survivors.
Having suffered for one year, if these people get caught, it might give us some solace. If they are punished, it might give us some peace. I ask that this be done at the earliest
– one of Prajwal Revanna’s accusers
Around three weeks ago, when the young mother was begging the police for permission to go on a holiday, Prajwal’s mother Bhavani Revanna was given a hero’s welcome on her return to Hassan after a gap of nearly 10 months. Accused of kidnapping, criminal intimidation, and wrongful restraint of an elderly woman who was sexually assaulted by Prajwal, Bhavani was directed by the courts not to enter Hassan and Mysuru since her alleged role in trying to suppress a complaint.
A convoy followed her as soon as she crossed the first toll into Hassan district. Women showered her with flowers, performed an aarti, and prayed for her long life.
“I feel very happy to be back home. I can’t tell you how much. It has been 24 years since we built this home but this has been the longest I’ve stayed away from here,” a beaming Bhavani told News18 Kannada at the time.
Across Karnataka, public sentiment for the family had turned, but not here. “We shouldn’t be surprised if Prajwal is also welcomed with garlands when he returns,” said one Hassan-based political activist, requesting anonymity.
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‘Maharajas of Hassan’
At the entrance of Prajwal Revanna’s once-bustling home in Holenarsipura, a newly erected poster announces the opening of a ‘farmer-friendly agro centre’. On it are pictures of HD Deve Gowda, HD Revanna, Bhavani, and their two sons, Suraj and Prajwal.
In Hassan city, the old billboard outside the former PM’s office, bearing images of Deve Gowda and Prajwal, still stands.
But the home itself, which Prajwal used as his MP office and where he allegedly exploited some women, is locked. A year ago, the bungalow on Hassan’s RC Road was one of the Revanna family’s durbars but now it’s abandoned and unkempt.
“They used to be like the Maharajas of Hassan but now are a little more subdued,” a baker in Holenarsipura said.
According to political analysts and those who’ve known the family, it’s not remorse or shame that is forcing them to tone down but more the shock that people mustered courage to revolt against “Gowdru Kutumba” (Deve Gowda’s family).
One victim said that the Revannas have long been known for being feudal, casteist, and dangerous—unforgiving of anyone who challenges their authority. For years, Hassan was dubbed the Republic of Revanna.
The allegations have emboldened a few people to speak out despite the deeply entrenched feudal setup. But they don’t always get a warm reception. An anganwadi worker from Hassan, who asked not to be named, said the family and their loyalists are convinced they have done no wrong.
[HD] Revanna almost acts like nothing has happened. Bhavani was given a grand welcome. It feels like the people have forgotten what happened a year ago
-Vijaykumar Theranya, Hassan-based activist
“But it’s like ‘Uttaran pourusha vole mundhe, nana pourusha yele mundhe’,” she said, referring to a proverb that loosely translates to a man who shows courage only in front of women, but flees the battlefield.
Since HD Revanna was released on bail in May last year—after being arrested by the SIT in connection with a related abduction—he has remained active in public life. He visited Tirupati last week. Revanna was also attended the March budget session of the state legislature. He was seen conversing and joking with other MLAs. Multiple calls to HD Revanna for comment went unanswered.
“[HD] Revanna almost acts like nothing has happened. Bhavani was given a grand welcome. It feels like the people have forgotten what happened a year ago,” said Vijaykumar Theranya, a Hassan-based activist. He added that Suraj Revanna, Prajwal’s brother—who was arrested last June for allegedly sexually abusing a man—has been seen in meetings.
For the victims and their families, this only highlights how different their reality is. Even when they’re finally free to return home, many expect to face censure.
“My aunt has not been able to return to her home at all. The shame…” said a relative of one of the three women. “She lives with her son and husband in Bengaluru now. Only her old mother lives in their home in the village.”
‘No one talking about those who circulated videos’
At the peak of Covid-19 restrictions in 2022, Karthick, a disgruntled former driver of Prajwal, sent Bhavani Revanna a video of her son’s sexual exploits, according to fresh information from an ongoing investigation. This probe into the distribution of videos is related to the same case but is being investigated independently.
Karthick wanted her to know what her son was up to, said a senior police officer, adding that it led to a fight between the mother and son. But Prajwal was allegedly more interested in finding out how Karthick got his hands on the clip.
“When Karthick worked as Prajwal’s driver, he knew the pin of Prajwal’s phone and over the years, kept transferring videos to his own mobile,” said the police officer. Months passed. Nearly a year later, a local Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader, Devaraje Gowda, gained access to the clips and threatened to expose the MP. Prajwal secured a gag order in June 2023.
The ones who committed sins are fine. But we are the ones suffering
-One of Prajwal Revanna’s accusers
But in December, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections in April 2024, Devaraje Gowda informed the national leadership about the videos and urged them to desist from aligning with the JD (S) or fielding Prajwal as the coalition candidate from Hassan.
“Around two weeks before the elections, Karthick’s aide purchased around 70 pen drives from a local electronic store. He then used the help of other disgruntled former employees of Revanna to copy the videos on these pen drives and distribute it,” said the police officer.
While the larger plan was to foil Prajwal’s re-election bid, Karthick and his aides also tried to blackmail the women in the videos. They contacted families of women from affluent households, threatened to release the videos, and allegedly extorted money from them, according to the police. Some of these encounters were purportedly consensual.
People familiar with the investigation said some families paid, pleading that the videos not be released. Most of the clips that did surface were of women from poorer backgrounds.
Police said the majority of the women in the videos were sexually exploited, harassed, and in some cases blackmailed into submission.
“Even if it was mutual, who gave them the rights to share the video? Not one person accused of distributing the videos has been booked so far,” said writer and activist Rupa Hassan.
Karthick was arrested in June last year and later released on bail. One complaint has been filed against him, former BJP MLA from Hassan Preetham Gowda, and two others for allegedly distributing the videos. Both Karthick and Preetham are currently in Hassan.
Many of the women featured in the videos claimed they were morphed, said Rupa. Several others attempted suicide.
No chargesheet has been filed yet in the video distribution case and most of the accused are currently out on bail. The second victim quoted above said those who shared the videos showed no concern for the women involved.
“Having suffered for one year, if these people get caught, it might give us some solace. If they are punished, it might give us some peace. I ask that this be done at the earliest,” she said.
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‘Stigmatic atmosphere’
The trial in the first case against Prajwal was set to begin on 23 April in a special court for elected representatives. The victim is a domestic worker who was employed at a farmhouse owned by the Revanna family. But her statement was not recorded after Prajwal’s lawyer accused the judge of prejudice and sought a transfer of the case to another judge.
In his petition, Prajwal claimed that his entire family had been targeted over the past year and had named in criminal cases.
“Certain powerful and vested interests have played [an] active role to use vulnerable people to downgrade the reputation of the accused with an object to uproot the accused and his family from social and political lives,” reads the petition.
He added that his family was walking through a “stigmatic atmosphere” and that it had “shattered” them. According to a member of the prosecution, Prajwal has now ask for time to appoint another counsel.
“This is nothing but delay tactics and this gives a wrong message to society,” the advocate said, requesting anonymity.
Meanwhile in Hassan, the delay is having an adverse effect on the victims who fear retaliation.
“The case has gone nowhere. The only solace is that Prajwal is still in jail. Had the government done more and if there was more progress in the case, more women would have come forward,” said Rupa.
There has also been no public update on the at least six female government officials—including three police officers—whose explicit videos or images were allegedly among those circulated. The government, Rupa added, has not persuaded them to file complaints either.
Some women from affluent families have left the district or moved abroad. But the young mother who first came forward is struggling to make ends meet.
“My parents were given jobs but nothing for me yet. We have not been allowed to go back to our hometown but are still paying rent. I am three months overdue, my mother’s health is failing, and the debts are piling up,” the young mother said.
“The ones who committed sins are fine. But we are the ones suffering.”