Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, currently serving a life sentence after a conviction in a rape case involving repeated sexual assault, voyeurism, and destruction of evidence, is being transferred from Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison to Hindalga Jail in Belagavi.
The transfer directive was issued by Prisons Department Director General of Police Alok Kumar after Bengaluru Police requested the relocation of nine prisoners to different correctional facilities.
Sources indicate that the transfer procedures for Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, commenced on Friday. Six prisoners in total are being relocated, with preparations underway at Hindalga Jail to receive him. Prison officials anticipated transferring him by Friday evening or night.
The relocation follows a search conducted on August 11 by the Central Crime Branch, during which authorities recovered a mobile phone, a SIM card, a charger, a pen drive, and other prohibited items from a cell shared by Revanna and another inmate. The raid was initiated after a video surfaced online purportedly showing Revanna speaking on a phone from inside the facility.
Following the raid, a case was registered at the Parappana Agrahara Police Station regarding the possession of contraband. Revanna and undertrial prisoner Prathap Rai were subsequently placed in police custody for questioning before being returned to prison on September 10 per a court order.
Police inquiries into how the mobile phone and SIM card were smuggled into the facility have resulted in the arrest of five individuals, including prison staff. Investigators suspect a prison warder aided in smuggling the phone, while the SIM card was allegedly brought in by an undertrial inmate. The investigation remains active to clarify individual roles and determine how the devices entered the prison.
The recovery has heightened scrutiny surrounding prison security protocols, with investigators examining the digital contents of the seized electronics. Revanna was convicted by a special court in Bengaluru in August 2025 and given a life sentence.
He was initially arrested in May 2024 over sexual assault allegations and has consistently denied wrongdoing, asserting that the controversial videos were digitally altered. His legal appeal against the conviction is currently pending.
The relocation to Hindalga Jail proceeds amid an active inquiry into the reported infractions of prison rules, with subsequent measures dependent on the investigation's conclusions and the directives of relevant authorities.