Mobile phone found in Prajwal Revanna's barrack at Bengaluru Central Jail; officer suspended
Synopsis
A six-hour CCB sweep of Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison turned up a mobile phone hidden under Prajwal Revanna's bed — just days after a search found nothing. An assistant superintendent has been suspended, and the jail superintendent faces a show-cause notice. The discovery raises hard questions about whether high-profile inmates are receiving preferential treatment inside a facility meant to be high-security.
Key Takeaways
An Android mobile phone was found hidden under the bed of former MP Prajwal Revanna at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison , Bengaluru, on Tuesday .
The CCB six-hour search also recovered around 10 mobile phones , chargers, and a pen drive from barracks of multiple high-profile prisoners.
Pratap Rai is named accused No.
1 and Prajwal Revanna accused No.
2 in the FIR registered by Parappana Agrahara police.
Assistant Superintendent Eeranna Rangapur was suspended; Jail Superintendent Anshu Kumar received a show-cause notice.
A prior search on 6 August had reportedly found no phone in Prajwal's possession, raising questions about how the device entered between the two raids.
Authorities have warned Prajwal could be shifted to another barrack if the phone's source is not traced.
An Android mobile phone was recovered from the barrack of former Hassan MP Prajwal Revanna at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in Bengaluru on Tuesday, during a six-hour search operation led by Central Crime Branch (CCB) officials. Revanna, the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda and son of Janata Dal (Secular) MLA H.D. Revanna, is serving a life sentence in connection with a rape and sex video case. The discovery has triggered a fresh controversy over security lapses and alleged preferential treatment of high-profile inmates inside the high-security prison.
What the Search Operation Uncovered
The CCB-led raid on Tuesday swept through barracks housing several prominent prisoners, including actor Darshan, his girlfriend Pavithra Gowda, and Prajwal Revanna, among others. In total, around 10 mobile phones, along with chargers and a pen drive, were reportedly recovered during the operation.
The phone found in Prajwal's barrack was reportedly hidden under his bed. The barrack is shared with another convict, Pratap Rai, who has been named accused No. 1 in the subsequent case, with Prajwal Revanna listed as accused No. 2. The Parappana Agrahara police registered an FIR and launched an investigation into how the prohibited device entered the prison and who had been using it.
Disciplinary Action Against Prison Officials
Director General of Police (DGP) Alok Kumar ordered immediate disciplinary action following the recovery. Assistant Superintendent Eeranna Rangapur was suspended for alleged dereliction of duty. A show-cause notice was also served on Jail Superintendent Anshu Kumar, seeking an explanation for the security failures.
Officials additionally flagged that Prajwal had reportedly not been wearing the prescribed white prison uniform — a detail that has amplified concerns about whether special facilities were being extended to him.
Timeline and Earlier Searches
The incident comes just days after prison authorities conducted searches on 6 August, during which no mobile phone was reportedly found in Prajwal's possession. The recovery on Tuesday has prompted officials to direct a probe into how the device reached his barrack between the two searches and who supplied it.
Authorities have reportedly warned that Prajwal could be shifted to a different barrack if the source of the phone is not established.
Broader Questions on Prison Security
This is not the first time Parappana Agrahara Central Prison has faced allegations of providing preferential treatment to influential inmates. The latest recovery has renewed scrutiny of surveillance protocols and access controls inside one of Karnataka's most high-profile jails. The fact that prohibited devices were found despite an earlier search conducted just days prior has raised pointed questions about the reliability of internal security checks.
Investigators are now working to establish a chain of custody for the phone and determine whether it was actively used to communicate with individuals outside the prison.
Point of View
And suspending one assistant superintendent without a systemic audit risks being seen as damage control rather than accountability. The fact that Prajwal was reportedly not wearing the standard prison uniform compounds the optics. Karnataka's prison administration now faces a credibility test: whether the investigation traces the phone's entry chain or quietly stops at the suspended officer.
NationPress
12 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What was found in Prajwal Revanna's barrack at Bengaluru jail?
An Android mobile phone was found hidden under Prajwal Revanna's bed at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison during a CCB-led search on Tuesday. The six-hour operation also recovered around 10 mobile phones, chargers, and a pen drive from barracks of other high-profile prisoners.
Who is Prajwal Revanna and why is he in jail?
Prajwal Revanna is a former Member of Parliament from Hassan constituency and the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda. He is serving a life sentence at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in connection with a rape and sex video case.
What action was taken after the phone was found?
DGP Alok Kumar ordered disciplinary action against prison staff. Assistant Superintendent Eeranna Rangapur was suspended for alleged dereliction of duty, and Jail Superintendent Anshu Kumar was issued a show-cause notice. An FIR was also registered by Parappana Agrahara police.
Who is accused in the FIR related to the phone recovery?
Pratap Rai, who shared the barrack with Prajwal Revanna, has been named accused No. 1, while Prajwal Revanna is accused No. 2. Investigators are working to determine who was using the phone.
Was a search conducted earlier and what did it find?
Yes, prison authorities searched the barracks on 6 August, just days before Tuesday's operation, and reportedly found no mobile phone in Prajwal Revanna's possession. The subsequent recovery has raised questions about how the device entered the prison between the two searches.
