Daijiworld Media Network - Bengaluru
Bengaluru, Aug 12: Former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, who is serving a life sentence at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, was found in possession of an Android mobile phone during a raid at the Bengaluru jail, officials said on Wednesday. A pen drive and other items were also reportedly recovered during the search.
The raid was conducted by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) on Tuesday and continued for around four to five hours. The operation focused on high-security barracks housing high-profile prisoners and other inmates. Officials said no other major contraband was found during the search.
Another inmate, identified as Prathap Rai, was also found in possession of a mobile phone. The two inmates are facing action under Section 42 of the Prisons Act, and a fresh case has been registered in connection with the possession of prohibited electronic devices.
The recovery has raised questions over security arrangements at the prison and how the mobile phones and other electronic items entered the facility. Prison authorities are examining CCTV footage and collecting details as part of the inquiry.
DGP, Prisons and Correctional Services, Alok Kumar, said the assistant superintendent concerned had been suspended based on a report submitted by the DIG, South. A show-cause notice has also been issued to the Superintendent of Bangalore Central Prison.
“A detailed enquiry is being conducted in this incident,” Alok Kumar said.
Officials are also examining whether any prison personnel were involved in allowing the prohibited items to reach the inmates. Further action will be taken after the departmental inquiry establishes the circumstances surrounding the security breach.
Revanna (34), was convicted by a special court in Bengaluru in August 2025 in a rape case involving a domestic worker. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and fined by the court.
The case was the first among multiple sexual assault cases registered against the former JD(S) MP to result in a trial and conviction. Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda and son of former Karnataka minister H D Revanna, represented Hassan in the Lok Sabha from 2019 to 2024.
His conviction brought a dramatic fall for a politician who had earlier been regarded as a rising figure in the JD(S).
The latest incident is being treated as a separate prison-security matter, with authorities now investigating the source of the prohibited devices, possible lapses in prison security and whether anyone inside the facility assisted in bringing them into the jail.