Former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, who is serving a life sentence in a rape case, has come under fresh scrutiny after an Android smartphone was recovered from his possession at Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.
The phone was seized during a Central Crime Branch (CCB) raid at the prison. Investigators are examining the device and its digital contents. According to media reports, around 80–90 downloaded pornographic videos were found on the phone. Investigators also reportedly recovered newspaper clippings featuring women in revealing clothing. The device has since been sent for detailed forensic examination.
The CCB conducted the raid on Tuesday, following which a video surfaced on social media showing Prajwal in casual civilian clothes, apparently speaking to someone on a phone from inside the prison.
Following the seizure, Assistant Superintendent Shri Iranna Rangapur was suspended on the recommendation of the DIG (South) for alleged dereliction of duty. A show-cause notice was also issued to the Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison. The CCB has filed a formal complaint with the Parappana Agrahara Police Station.
Director General of Police (Prisons and Correctional Services) Alok Kumar said more than 300 mobile phones had been seized from Parappana Agrahara Prison over the past seven to eight months. However, he noted that older stocks of confiscated phones collected over the previous three to four years had not yet been completely cleared.
Kumar described the incident involving Prajwal as a major embarrassment for the prison department and the government, warning that those responsible would face action. He also acknowledged lapses in monitoring high-profile prisoners, saying personnel deployed in the area should have been more vigilant about their movements.
Prajwal is the son of JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna and grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. He represented Hassan in the Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024.
Prajwal was arrested in May 2024 in connection with sexual assault cases and was subsequently convicted in a rape case. In August 2025, a special court in Bengaluru sentenced him to life imprisonment, following which he was lodged at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.
