Dozens of Pornographic Videos Found on Phone of Former Indian MP Convicted of Rape
Dozens of pornographic videos were found on a mobile phone recovered from the cell of former Indian parliamentarian Prajwal Revanna, who is serving a life sentence for rape. The information emerged from a forensic examination of the mobile phone seized from Mr. Revanna’s cell at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail in Bengaluru. Local police confirmed the matter on Saturday.
According to police sources, the Central Crime Branch (CCB) conducted a surprise search of the prison’s security division barracks on August 11. During the four- to five-hour operation, an Android smartphone, a SIM card, a charger, several pen drives and a notebook containing lists of phone numbers were seized from the cells of Prajwal Revanna and another inmate, Pratap Rai. The pen drives contained several movies and web series.
An information technology and forensic examination found a large number of pornographic videos on the seized phone. A review of call records also showed that Revanna regularly spoke with family members through intermediaries without authorisation and maintained direct contact with a female friend.
During questioning, Prajwal Revanna denied downloading or watching the pornographic videos. Claiming that the phone did not belong to him, he said other inmates in the cell also used it in turns.
Meanwhile, police have arrested five people as part of an investigation into how the unauthorised mobile phone was smuggled into the prison. The arrested individuals admitted that the mobile phone and SIM card were secretly brought into the prison with the help of a prison warder and an undertrial inmate. The devices were reportedly used mainly by Revanna and Pratap Rai.
The controversial politician came into the spotlight again last month after a video showing him talking on a phone in civilian clothes inside the prison circulated widely. Following the incident, Revanna and Pratap Rai were taken into police custody for three days for questioning and were sent back to prison on September 10 on the court’s orders. The investigation into the involvement of prison guards and the smuggling of prohibited devices is still ongoing.
