Bengaluru court discharges HD Revanna in sexual harassment case
The alleged incident dates back to 2020, when the complainant was employed at Revanna’s residence in Hassan district
A Bengaluru special court on Monday (December 29) discharged Janata Dal (Secular) leader and former minister HD Revanna from allegations of sexual harassment made by his former maid, citing an unexplained delay of over four years in filing the complaint.
The alleged incident dates back to 2020, when the complainant was employed at Revanna’s residence in Hassan district, Karnataka.
What court said
The Special Court of Magistrate for criminal cases against sitting and former MPs and MLAs refused to take cognisance of the offence under Section 354A of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with sexual harassment.
Also Read: Court discharges JD(S) leader HD Revanna in sexual harassment case
The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to provide a convincing explanation for the prolonged delay in lodging the complaint. It rejected the complainant’s argument that she feared Revanna’s political influence, pointing out that she had approached authorities in another matter during the same period.
The case in question was filed by the maid when her house, provided under a government scheme, was demolished. The complainant had accused Ravenna of the demolition with the Deputy Commissioner and the district police, Hassan.
The court noted that the complainant had previously shown no hesitation in approaching the Deputy Commissioner and district police to accuse Revanna of being involved in the alleged demolition of her house. This, the court observed, cast doubt on her later claim that fear prevented her from reporting the alleged sexual harassment or taking legal action at the time.
'Failed to specify details'
The court also noted that the complainant failed to specify the date or even the year of the alleged sexual harassment and questioned why no complaint was filed in 2022, after she left her job. It added that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) had also failed to record reasons for the delay.
Earlier, the Karnataka High Court had quashed charges under Section 354 IPC against Revanna, stating that the allegations lacked specificity and appeared to have been added later, possibly after the rape allegations against his son, Prajwal Revanna, surfaced.
Also Read: Ex-MP Prajwal Revanna now a library clerk in Parappana Agrahara jail
The High Court had also observed that continuing prosecution after such a delay could complicate ongoing trials against Prajwal Revanna.
In 2024, JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna, son of Revanna and grandson of former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda, faced multiple rape and sexual assault allegations. Sexually explicit videos allegedly involving him were circulated publicly.
A special court in Bengaluru convicted Prajwal in August 2025 for the rape of a domestic worker and sentenced him to life imprisonment, marking the first conviction among several cases registered against him.