Jail mobile phone case: Prajwal Revanna sent to two-day police custody

Bengaluru: Former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna was on Tuesday sent to two days of police custody by the Special Court for MLAs/MPs in Bengaluru in connection with the alleged use of a mobile phone inside Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.

Revanna was produced before the 42nd ACJM court along with his co-accused Pratap Rai in connection with the case registered over the alleged possession and use of a mobile phone inside the prison. The court granted the police custody of both accused for two days to facilitate further questioning and investigation.

Prajwal Revanna is currently serving a life sentence following his conviction in a rape case. He is the grandson of former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda, son of JD(S) MLA H.D. Revanna and nephew of Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

The case was registered at the Parappana Agrahara police station after an Android mobile phone, a pen drive and a charger were reportedly recovered from Revanna’s cell at Bengaluru Central Prison.

A purported video showing Revanna speaking on a mobile phone from his VIP cell subsequently surfaced. The video also allegedly showed him availing himself of various facilities inside the prison, prompting the police to register an FIR and launch an investigation into the alleged breach of prison security.

According to the police, Pratap Rai, who was sharing the cell with Revanna, has been named as accused number one, while Revanna has been named as accused number two.

Preliminary investigation has reportedly revealed that an Andhra Pradesh-registered SIM card was used in the mobile phone recovered from the cell.

Revanna has reportedly told investigators that the mobile phone belonged to Pratap, who was staying with him in the cell.

The police are also examining a notebook recovered from the cell, which reportedly contained contact numbers of Revanna’s family members and relatives. Preliminary investigation has indicated that calls were allegedly made to some of his relatives using the seized mobile phone.

Investigators are expected to question Revanna and Pratap on several aspects of the case, including how the Andhra Pradesh SIM card was obtained, who brought the mobile phone into the prison, how the device and other materials reached their cell and whether prison security protocols were breached.

The police are also probing whether anyone inside or outside the prison assisted in providing the mobile phone or SIM card and whether there was any larger security lapse within the prison.

IANS