Ex-NDA MP Prajwal Revanna caught watching porn in jail
Prajwal Revanna is serving a life sentence in this prison.
Dozens of pornographic videos have been found on a mobile phone recovered from Prajwal Revanna, a former Janata Dal (Secular) MP, who is imprisoned in Bengaluru Central Jail on rape charges. Not only that, he had access to Wi-Fi in jail and used to watch films on Netflix and Prime Video, and operated WhatsApp and Instagram on his mobile. Revanna is serving a life sentence in this jail.
Deccan Herald reports that the former MP's mobile phone was seized during a Central Crime Branch (CCB) raid targeting high-profile inmates inside the jail. During the subsequent examination of the phone, investigators found 80 to 90 downloaded obscene videos. A detailed forensic investigation of the recovered mobile phone is now underway. Investigators are examining all video files, pictures, and other digital data on the phone to determine where this content came from, when it was downloaded, and whether it has any connection to the ongoing criminal proceedings against Revanna.
It is noteworthy that 36-year-old Prajwal Revanna represented the Hassan Lok Sabha seat from 2019 to 2023 for the Janata Dal (Secular), which is allied with the BJP in Karnataka. In August 2025, a special court for cases involving public representatives convicted him in a case of rape of a domestic help at a farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district.
Following this recovery, action has also been initiated within the jail administration. The Assistant Superintendent of the jail has been suspended, while the Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Jail has been issued a show-cause notice. Besides the mobile phone, officials also recovered a pen drive and charger from the cell. According to officials, no other prohibited items were found during the search operation, which lasted four to five hours.
In August 2025, a special court found Revanna guilty of rape, repeated sexual harassment, voyeurism, and destruction of evidence, sentencing him to life imprisonment. The emergence of obscene videos related to Revanna before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections had garnered nationwide attention. Revanna has consistently denied these allegations, claiming that the videos were tampered with.
Subsequently, his legal team has approached the Supreme Court seeking to transfer the case to another judge, alleging bias. Meanwhile, his appeal against the conviction is pending in the Karnataka High Court. Following this latest recovery from his jail cell, investigators are now likely to focus on the source and usage of the mobile phone, the digital content found on it, and potential violations of jail rules.
Home Minister Priyank Kharge stated that he had visited the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail two to three weeks ago and observed several discrepancies during the inspection.
He stated,
Permission for the raid was obtained from Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar. Similar searches will be conducted in other jails in the state. The Minister said, “Whether it is Kalaburagi, Belagavi, Bengaluru, or any other jail, we will take strict action. We will continue this action.”
A Central Crime Branch officer reported that a light blue Redmi 5G phone was recovered from room number 4 on the first floor of Security Section-3 during the search conducted between 2 PM and 9 PM on Tuesday. The apps on the phone were password-protected. According to the FIR filed in this case, both Revanna and his fellow inmate Pratap Rai told the search team that they did not know the password. Along with the phone, a white charger, a blue pocket notebook, and a black pen drive were also found. Revanna and undertrial inmate Rai were residing in this room.
Officials stated that Rai claimed the phone, charger, and pen drive were his and that he used the phone to communicate with his relatives and lawyer. Revanna also informed the team that he used Rai's phone to call his relatives and lawyer. Revanna claimed that the notebook was his. The CCB seized all four items and filed a complaint against both inmates under the Karnataka Prisons (Amendment) Act, 2022, and sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The complaint alleges that prohibited items were brought inside the jail without permission and used by the inmates.
DGP of Prisons and Correctional Services Alok Kumar stated that the raid was conducted with a focus on high-profile inmates and lasted about four to five hours. He mentioned that another mobile phone was also found with Rai.
Alok Kumar said,
On Tuesday afternoon, the CCB conducted raids on all high-profile inmates. An Android phone has been seized from Prajwal Revanna. The police are now examining CCTV footage and gathering additional information before issuing notices and taking further action.
Kumar stated that following the report from DIG South, the concerned Assistant Superintendent has been suspended, while the Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Jail has been issued a show-cause notice. He said, the CCB has filed a complaint at the Parappana Agrahara police station and the process of registering an FIR is underway. Following the recovery of the mobile phone, action has also been taken against jail officials. Assistant Superintendent Iranna Rangapur has been suspended for alleged negligence in duty, while the Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Jail has been given a show-cause notice.