Updated On: 12 Aug 2026
BENGALURU: Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge has warned of strict action against prison officials and inmates found responsible for allowing prohibited items into jails following the seizure of a mobile phone and other unauthorised articles from former JD(S) MP Prajwal Revanna at Parappana Agrahara Central Prison.
Kharge said the department would adopt the same approach regardless of whether a prisoner was high-profile or otherwise. “It does not matter who the prisoner is. He’s committed a crime, he’s in prison, that’s all that matters. Whether he’s high profile or low profile, it does not matter to us,” he said at a press conference. He added that the incident was a clear warning to prison officials and inmates that corruption or influence would not be tolerated.
He said a surprise raid was conducted in selected prison cells, during which officials recovered mobile phones, notebooks and other prohibited items. Kharge suspected that some prison personnel could be colluding with inmates and said strict action would follow. “We’re also doing a digital infrastructure audit of the prisons. Whoever is responsible for ensuring these prisoners have access to devices or anything that is more than necessary will be taken to task,” he said.
According to an FIR registered at Parappana Agrahara Police Station, officials seized a mobile phone, charger, pen drive and pocket notebook from a high-security barrack where Revanna was lodged. The case has been registered under Section 42 of the Karnataka Prisons (Amendment) Act, 2022, and Section 323 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Revanna and undertrial prisoner Prathap Rai have been named as accused.
The search was carried out on August 11 between 2.05 pm and 9 pm under the direction of the Additional Commissioner of Police, Crime, Bengaluru City, to detect illegally possessed mobile phones, narcotics and other banned items. Officials recovered a light blue Redmi 5G mobile phone, a white charger, a blue pocket notebook and a black SanDisk pen drive from Room No. 4 on the first floor of Security Section 3.
During questioning, Revanna reportedly claimed that the notebook belonged to him, while Rai said the mobile phone, charger and pen drive belonged to him. Rai told officials that he occasionally used the phone to contact his relatives and lawyer. Revanna also reportedly said he had taken the phone from Rai to make calls to his relatives and lawyer.
An examination of the seized mobile phone found applications including Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Netflix and Prime Video. The applications were password-protected, and both inmates reportedly said they did not know the passwords.
The complaint alleges that Revanna and Rai had unauthorisedly procured and used prohibited items inside the prison and sought legal action against them.
