Union Minister for Heavy Industries and Steel H.D. Kumaraswamy on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, questioned the timing of developments surrounding convicted rape accused and former MP Prajwal Revanna's prison transfer, alleging that such issues were being deliberately surfaced to divert public attention whenever sensitive matters — including the Bidadi farmers' protest — came up for discussion in Bengaluru.

Background: Who Is Prajwal Revanna

Prajwal Revanna, a former Member of Parliament from the Janata Dal (Secular) [JD(S)], is Kumaraswamy's nephew and the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. He is currently convicted in a rape case and is lodged at Bengaluru Central Jail. Media reports indicated he was shifted to Hindalga prison and subsequently brought back, raising questions about the chain of command behind the transfer.

Kumaraswamy's Key Questions

Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Kumaraswamy demanded to know what authorities had been doing for nearly one-and-a-half years regarding the alleged incidents at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison and why the issue resurfaced precisely when the Bidadi farmers' protest was gaining attention. He asked who had ordered the transfer to Hindalga prison, who had directed the return, and who had made the relevant phone calls — urging the state government to provide clear answers.

Kumaraswamy also clarified that he had not opposed the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Prajwal Revanna case, but insisted that the same level of investigative seriousness should be applied uniformly across all cases.

Pen Drive Circulation and Election Timing

The minister raised pointed questions about the investigation into the circulation of pen drives containing videos linked to the case. He demanded to know how many people had been arrested for producing and distributing them, how many women had filed complaints, and what the probe had uncovered so far. He noted that the videos were reportedly distributed across the Mandya and Hassan regions two days before the 2024 Lok Sabha elections — a detail he described as significant. Notably, Prajwal Revanna had contested from Hassan as a JD(S)-NDA candidate, while Kumaraswamy himself had contested from Mandya in the same election cycle.

Response to Rahul Gandhi's Claims

Kumaraswamy also took aim at Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, who had reportedly claimed that Prajwal Revanna had raped 400 women. 'How many of those 400 women have come forward and filed cases?' Kumaraswamy asked. He further alleged that the women featured in the circulated videos had not had their faces blurred to protect their privacy, and demanded accountability from the state government on who had produced and circulated the material and why those responsible were reportedly 'moving around freely in Hassan.'

Political Context and What Comes Next

This comes amid sustained political pressure on the Karnataka state government over both the Prajwal Revanna case and the Bidadi farmers' agitation. Kumaraswamy's remarks signal a sharpening of the JD(S)-BJP front's offensive against the ruling Congress government in the state. The state government is now expected to respond to his specific questions about the prison transfer and the pen drive investigation. How the SIT handles these dual demands — on the rape case and on the video distribution — will be closely watched in the coming weeks.