Special court orders SIT probe into threat calls received by witness in Prajwal Revanna rape trial

A special court in Bengaluru has directed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) to inquire into alleged threat calls received by a prosecution witness in the sexual assault case against former Hassan Member of Parliament (MP) Prajwal Revanna [SIT vs Prajwal Revanna].

Sessions court judge Shivaprasad KB issued the direction on August 20 after a 43-year-old social worker who is a prosecution witness (PW-4) alleged that she received threats. The statement was made during the witness' cross-examination.

The court has asked the SIT to probe the matter, provide the witness protection and submit a report by the next hearing of the case.

A communication issued by the court on this issue to the Chief of the SIT, Additional Director General of Police (AGDP) revealed that the social worker had been examined (examination-in-chief) on July 6, 2026.

During her cross-examination on August 20, the social worker told the court that after her examination-in-chief was over, she received threat calls over phone. She further said that if anything were to happen to her son or herself, the accused - Prajwal Revanna - would be responsible.

In view of these allegations, the special court directed the SIT to inquire into the matter and provide necessary protection to the social worker in accordance with law.

Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, represented Hassan in the Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024. He was arrested in May 2024 in connection with several sexual assault cases and was later convicted in one rape case. A special court in Bengaluru sentenced him to life imprisonment in August 2025, following which he was lodged in Parappana Agrahara prison.

One of the cases against Revanna involves allegations of sexual assault of a housemaid. An FIR was initially registered on April 28, 2024, at the Holenarasipura Town Police Station against former JD(S) MLA HD Revanna and his son, Prajwal Revanna. The case was subsequently split, with Prajwal Revanna facing charges under Sections 376, 376(2)(k), 354, 354A, 354B, 354D, 506, 509 and 201 of the IPC, besides Section 66E of the Information Technology Act.

The SIT has cited more than 100 witnesses in the case. The trial is presently at the stage of prosecution evidence, with PW-4 (the witness who claims she was threatened) being the fourth witness examined.

The matter has been posted for further hearing on September 2, 2026. The prosecution is being represented by Special Public Prosecutor Ashok Naik.

On a related note, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) personnel recently recovered a mobile phone, charger, pen drive and scribbling pad from Prajwal Revanna's cell in the high-security barrack at Parappana Agrahara prison.