Bengaluru Court Discharges HD Revanna from Sexual Assault Case Due to Delay

In a significant legal development, a Bengaluru court has discharged HD Revanna, a former Karnataka minister, from sexual assault allegations due to a four-year delay in filing the complaint. The Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate ruled that the prosecution failed to provide a valid reason for the delay, leading to the dismissal of the case. The court's decision raises questions about the complainant's motivations and the political implications surrounding the case, especially in light of serious allegations against Revanna's son. This ruling highlights the complexities of legal proceedings involving high-profile individuals and the challenges faced by victims in seeking justice.

By Narendra Chaudhary Dec 30, 2025, 16:02 IST

Court Ruling on HD Revanna's Case

A Bengaluru court has officially discharged HD Revanna, a leader from the Janata Dal (Secular) and former Karnataka minister, from allegations of sexually assaulting a domestic worker at his residence in Hassan back in 2020.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate KN Shivakumar highlighted a significant delay of four years in the woman filing her complaint. The magistrate pointed out that neither the complainant nor the prosecution provided a satisfactory reason for the delay, which led to the decision to dismiss the case.

The allegations against HD Revanna and his son, former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna, were formally lodged on April 28, 2024. The elder Revanna faced accusations of abducting the complainant shortly after the initial report was filed.

On May 13, 2024, HD Revanna was granted bail concerning both the sexual assault and abduction charges.

Subsequently, on November 19, the Karnataka High Court instructed the magistrate to evaluate whether the four-year delay in filing the sexual harassment complaint could be overlooked.

In the recent ruling, the magistrate concluded that this case was not suitable for condoning the delay in filing the complaint or initiating prosecution.

The court dismissed the prosecution's argument that the delay was due to the woman's fear of HD Revanna's political influence.

It was noted that the woman had previously filed a complaint with the Deputy Commissioner and local police regarding the demolition of a house she received under a government scheme, which she alleged was done at Revanna's behest.

Shivakumar questioned the woman's fear in filing the sexual harassment complaint, given her willingness to approach authorities about the demolition.

The magistrate remarked that even if the woman felt unable to report the incident from 2020 to 2022 while employed at Revanna's home, she could have done so after leaving the job in 2022. However, she did not file a complaint until April 2024.

Prajwal Revanna was suspended from the Janata Dal (Secular) on April 30, 2024, following the emergence of videos allegedly showing him committing sexual assaults against multiple women just before the Lok Sabha elections. He has since faced charges in four separate cases.

In August, he received a life sentence for raping a 48-year-old worker and filming the assault.

During the recent proceedings, the magistrate referenced the serious rape allegations against Prajwal Revanna, suggesting that they may have influenced the woman's decision to file a complaint against HD Revanna as an afterthought.