In late April 2024, just days before the Hassan Lok Sabha constituency went to the polls, hundreds of pen drives containing explicit video clips began circulating anonymously across the region. The clips depicted a powerful political figure—Prajwal Revanna, grandson of former Indian Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda—subjecting various women to explicit sexual acts, harassment, and severe coercion.
The scandal became public in April 2024, immediately preceding the Lok Sabha general elections in Hassan, Karnataka. Thousands of pen drives containing explicit video clips were intentionally scattered across public spaces—including bus stands, parks, and streets—throughout the constituency.
The investigation remains ongoing, with the SIT continuing to record statements from victims and analyze digital evidence found on Revanna's devices.
The SIT’s investigation, which would later be praised by the court, was a masterclass in modern forensic science. One of the biggest challenges was that a crucial piece of evidence—the iPhone used to record the crimes—had been deliberately destroyed. prajwal revanna video clips
This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the controversy, examining the content and origins of the videos, the unprecedented forensic breakthrough that led to a conviction, the ongoing legal battles, and the political tempest that it sparked in Karnataka.
In response to the viral spread, the Karnataka government wrote to platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook to stop the sharing of videos. Civil rights groups like Naaveddu Nilladiddare and 107 individuals wrote to the Chief Minister urging swift action to safeguard survivors' privacy and dignity. The government announced a ₹25 lakh reward for the SIT officers who conducted the investigation, leading to Prajwal's arrest and conviction.
: A March 2026 chargesheet filed by the SIT confirmed that the politician’s former driver, Karthik N, had stealthily memorized Revanna’s phone PIN, extracted the private media files, and transferred them to an external hard drive. In late April 2024, just days before the
The controversy surfaced just before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections when pen drives containing nearly 3,000 explicit videos were scattered in public places across Hassan. Nature of the Content
The legal fallout culminated in . This article examines the origins of the video clip controversy, the sophisticated forensic investigation that followed, its seismic impact on Indian politics, and the deep trauma inflicted upon the survivors. 1. The Origins of the Scandal: The "Pen Drive" Leak
On August 1, 2025, a Bengaluru special court convicted Revanna in the first of four sexual assault cases against him. He was sentenced to life imprisonment The scandal became public in April 2024, immediately
Following the SIT's extensive chargesheet in March 2026, the legal process against the 39 accused has advanced. Simultaneously, Prajwal Revanna has filed an appeal in the Karnataka High Court challenging his life sentence conviction, with his counsel questioning the reliability of the evidence.
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Approximately one week before the first phase of voting in April 2024, hundreds of explicit video clips and images allegedly featuring Prajwal Revanna with numerous women began circulating on pen drives and WhatsApp in the Hassan constituency. The SIT investigation revealed these were not merely private recordings; many were likely recordings of alleged sexual assault.