CCB search at Parappana Agrahara uncovers phone; show-cause and suspension ordered
Bengaluru: A Central Crime Branch (CCB) raid at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison on Tuesday recovered an Android mobile phone from the possession of former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna, DGP Prison and Correctional Services Alok Kumar said on Wednesday. Revanna, who is serving a life term after conviction in a rape case, was among a number of high-profile inmates subjected to the search.
The raid, which officials said lasted around four to five hours, also turned up a mobile phone with another inmate identified as Prathap Rai. No other contraband was reported recovered during the operation, Kumar added. The CCB has lodged a complaint with Parappan Agrahara Police Station and registration of an FIR is in progress.
"An Android phone has been seized from Prajwal Revanna's possession," said DGP Prison and Correctional Services Alok Kumar.
According to the DGP, authorities are examining CCTV footage from the prison and collating further details before issuing notices and taking additional action. A show-cause notice has been issued to the Superintendent of Police of Bengaluru Central Prison, while the concerned Assistant Superintendent has been placed under suspension on the basis of a report by the DIG South, Kumar said.
The search focused on inmates classified as high-profile. Officials said preliminary steps include forensic examination of the seized devices and scrutiny of CCTV recordings to establish how the phones entered the prison and whether any staff were complicit. The CCB is also expected to question inmates and staff as part of the ongoing enquiry.
Prajwal Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda and son of JD(S) MLA H D Revanna, was convicted by the Special Court for People's Representatives in August 2025 for the rape of a domestic worker at a farmhouse in Holenarasipura, Hassan district. He was sentenced to life imprisonment, fined ₹10 lakh, and ordered to pay ₹7 lakh as compensation to the survivor. He faces three further rape cases that remain pending trial, according to official records.
The incident has prompted immediate administrative action within the prison hierarchy and raised fresh questions about contraband control and security protocols at one of the state’s largest correctional facilities. Prison authorities declined to comment beyond the statements issued by the DGP and the CCB complaint filing.
Immediate steps and follow-up actions
- Forensic analysis of the seized mobile phones and data extraction.
- Review of CCTV footage to trace entry and movement related to contraband.
- Administrative action: suspension of Assistant Superintendent and show-cause to SP Bengaluru Central Prison.
- Registration of an FIR by Parappan Agrahara Police Station based on the CCB complaint.
The seizure comes amid broader scrutiny of jail security in Karnataka and nationally, where mobile phones and other prohibited items have been repeatedly implicated in enabling external communications and criminal activity from within correctional institutions. Officials said any lapses identified in the probe would inform tighter checks and disciplinary proceedings.
| Item | Found with | Immediate action |
|---|---|---|
| Android mobile phone | Prajwal Revanna | Seized; forensic exam pending |
| Mobile phone | Prathap Rai | Seized; forensic exam pending |
| Other contraband | — | None reported |
As enquiries progress, the CCB and prison department will decide on the scope of criminal charges and internal disciplinary measures. The development is likely to draw political attention given Revanna’s family background and the high-profile nature of his conviction. The matter remains under investigation and further details are expected after forensic reports and the CCB’s continuing probe are completed.
