A surprise raid by the Central Crime Branch (CCB) in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison revealed violations of prison rules and seized some prohibited items from a cell belonging to a former Member of Parliament, Prajwal Revanna. The investigation is into the illegal activity in the prison and its security arrangements at one of the largest correctional facilities in Karnataka.
According to officials, the raid was launched after intelligence inputs concerning unauthorised activities and the possible use of electronic devices by inmates in the prison. During the check, officers found a Redmi mobile phone, charger, pen drive and a pocket notebook from the cell where Prajwal Revanna was settled.
Investigators also examined the contents of the seized phone, said officials involved in the investigation. Preliminary analyses have revealed objectionable digital material, including video files and other data downloaded from the mobile phone as part of the investigation, which were found to be “questionably corrupted”, and those are now being probed further, officials said. The forensic report is not yet released for these devices, and technical experts will analyse the contents of the devices, they added.
Prajwal Revanna has been moved from a VIP cell to a general prison cell after the raid, and the decision is understood to have been made as part of a corrective action to preserve prison rules and prevent unfair treatment of inmates. When other disciplinary action will be taken as a result of the raid, officials have not publicly commented on it.
Prajwal Revanna, who was quizzed by investigators, said that the notebook recovered during the search was his. But Pratap Rai, another undertrial inmate, also said he had the mobile phone, charger and pen drive. Pratap Rai used the phone to communicate with relatives and legal representatives, investigators said.
The inmates' claims now are being verified as part of the investigation. Call records, digital data and other evidence will be analysed to determine how the devices were used and if prison rules were broken. They will also investigate how the electronic items were brought into the prison and whether prison staff or outside people supported them.
Is vip cultural back ???
— Karnataka Portfolio (@karnatakaportf) August 13, 2026
Former MP Prajwal Revanna seen casually talking on the phone inside his prison cell while wearing personal clothes instead of the prison uniform. The exact date when video was taken is unknown. CCB had conducted raids & found a phone yesterday in his… pic.twitter.com/FKDRlMovqu
Based on the findings of the raid, CCB police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) against undertrial prisoner Pratap Rai at the Parappana Agrahara Police Station. The FIR will be the basis for further legal proceedings related to the possession and use of unauthorised electronic devices inside the prison.
It has once again raised fears about prison security in Karnataka. Parappana Agrahara Central Prison has been criticised over the years for mobile phone use, special privileges for certain inmates and lapses in the monitoring of prison activities. The latest seizure is expected to increase pressure on institutions for higher surveillance, frequent inspections and accountability in the prison system.
All investigators have said that the investigation is ongoing and that further action will depend on the forensic examinations and evidence collected during the raid. Details will be provided in the future after the seized devices are analysed and the findings are submitted to agencies.
