The phone was recovered during the Central Crime Branch’s (CCB) surprise search of the prison targeting high-profile inmates.
Former Janata Dal (Secular) MP Prajwal Revanna has come under fresh scrutiny after investigators allegedly recovered a mobile phone containing dozens of pornographic videos from his barrack at Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, where he is serving a life sentence in a rape case, India Today reported.
The phone was recovered during the Central Crime Branch’s (CCB) surprise search of the prison targeting high-profile inmates.
According to India Today, investigators examining the device are believed to have found around 80 to 90 downloaded pornographic videos.
Most of the videos were reportedly Indian pornographic content. Investigators also found newspaper cuttings showing women in revealing clothing stored on the device, according to police sources.
The phone has now been sent for detailed forensic examination. Investigators are expected to establish when the material was downloaded, trace the device’s usage and examine other files and digital information stored on it.
Jail Official Suspended After Phone Recovery
The recovery has triggered action against prison officials.
Assistant Superintendent Iranna Rangapur has been suspended on the recommendation of the DIG (South), with authorities citing alleged dereliction of duty. The Superintendent of Bengaluru Central Prison has also received a show-cause notice.
A departmental inquiry has been ordered to determine how the prohibited device entered the prison and remained inside the barrack.
The CCB conducted the search over four to five hours, covering the barracks of high-profile prisoners as well as the High Security Prison. Apart from the mobile phone, officials recovered a pen drive and a charger from Revanna’s barrack. No other prohibited material was found during the operation, prison authorities said.
A complaint has been filed with the Parappana Agrahara police, with a fresh FIR being registered in connection with the recovery. An undertrial prisoner, identified as Pratap Rai, has also been named in the case.
Interestingly, prison officials had searched Revanna’s barrack on August 6 but reportedly found no contraband at the time.
How Do Smuggled Phones Work Despite Jammers?
The latest recovery has also highlighted a reported loophole in the prison’s mobile-phone controls.
Sources said Revanna had an Airtel SIM activated in Andhra Pradesh rather than Karnataka. Prison authorities have reportedly encountered a similar pattern in hundreds of mobile-phone seizures in recent months.
SIM cards registered in Karnataka are subject to restrictions within the prison, while cards activated in other states can reportedly operate despite the signal-jamming measures in place. This has allegedly enabled inmates to use smuggled handsets inside the facility.
Investigators are now examining the source of the phone, how it reached Revanna’s barrack and whether others were involved in providing or using the device.
Prajwal Revanna’s Cases
The development comes shortly after the Karnataka High Court declined Revanna’s request for suspension of his life sentence and interim bail in the first rape case registered against him in Hassan.
The court cited the seriousness of the allegations and the pendency of other sexual abuse cases while considering his plea. It also raised concerns about the possibility of witnesses being influenced and the impact of his release on ongoing proceedings.