Bengaluru, October 31, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Three officers of the Karnataka Special Investigation Team (SIT), Criminal Investigation Department (CID), who investigated sexual assault cases involving former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, have received the Union Home Ministry Medal for Excellence in Investigation, the Chief Minister’s Office said on Saturday.
The officers honoured are Inspector Shobha, Assistant Sub-Inspector Rathnamma and Chief Head Constable (CHC) Balakrishna. They were part of the SIT team whose investigation led to Revanna’s conviction in the cases.
The Union Home Ministry Medal for Excellence in Investigation recognises outstanding work in criminal investigations and contributions towards securing justice through professional and effective probes.
The Chief Minister’s Office congratulated the three officers on the recognition and acknowledged their role in the investigation.
Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, was convicted in a rape case by a special court for MPs and MLAs in Bengaluru on August 1, 2025. The court, presided over by Judge Santosh Gajanan Bhat, sentenced him to life imprisonment on August 2, 2025.
The case involved the sexual assault and repeated rape of a 47-year-old domestic worker at the family’s farmhouse and residence in 2021, as well as the recording and circulation of explicit videos.
The investigation involved extensive digital and forensic analysis. According to the case details provided, several recovered and leaked video recordings did not clearly show the accused’s face. Investigators used physical markers, including birthmarks, moles and tattoos, alongside medical examination photographs and forensic comparison techniques.
The SIT also analysed hundreds of videos and thousands of digital screenshots, creating separate folders for victims and sorting overlapping crime scenes across multiple locations, including farmhouses and private residences.
Revanna was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life under Sections 376(2)(k) and 376(2)(n) of the Indian Penal Code. The court also awarded concurrent rigorous imprisonment terms for related offences, including sexual harassment, assault with intent to disrobe, voyeurism, criminal intimidation, destruction of evidence and violations of the Information Technology Act.
The court imposed fines exceeding Rs 11.50 lakh, with approximately Rs 11.25 lakh ordered as compensation to the survivor.
Revanna has challenged his conviction and life sentence before the Karnataka High Court, contesting the survivor’s testimony and the forensic and video evidence. In December 2025, a division bench of the High Court rejected his plea for suspension of the sentence and bail, citing the gravity of the offences and pending cases.
He also faces separate cases involving allegations of sexual abuse and assault.
Revanna had left India for Germany shortly before the controversy surfaced in late April 2024. Following international coordination, he was arrested at Bengaluru airport on May 31, 2024, after returning to the country.
The case also involved allegations of threats and intimidation against survivors and witnesses. Court interventions were reportedly required to ensure police protection. Separately, the recovery of unauthorised electronic devices, including a mobile phone and a pen drive, from his high-security prison cell raised concerns over prison security.
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