'₹540/day earnings...2 calls/week': What Prajwal Revanna's prison life looks like
What's the story
Former Member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna was sentenced to life in prison after last week being found guilty of raping one of his domestic staff. Now convict number 15528 at the Bengaluru Central Prison, his daily earnings have been reduced to ₹540—the maximum pay for convicts working eight-hour shifts six days a week. Until his disqualification in April 2024, Revanna earned a basic monthly salary of ₹1.2 lakh as an MP.
Daily life
Revanna yet to be assigned work
Revanna, who was shifted to the convict barrack on Friday, is yet to be assigned work but will have until Monday to choose from available tasks. "All convicts, unless medically exempted, are expected to work," a senior prison official said. New inmates usually start with unskilled labor such as helping in the bakery or basic tailoring before being promoted to skilled roles after a year.
Prison life
Inmates' daily routine
Convicts at Bengaluru Central Prison follow a strict daily routine starting at 6:30am. Per TOI, breakfast is served soon after, with a fixed weekly menu including veg pulao on Sundays and tomato bhath on Mondays. Lunch is served between 11:30am and noon, while dinner is before 6:30pm. Both meals consist of chapatis, ragi balls, sambar, white rice, and buttermilk.
Prison privileges
Meals, phone calls, family visits
As per prison diet norms, inmates get an egg on Tuesdays, mutton on the first and third Fridays of the month, and chicken on the second and fourth Saturdays. Revanna will also be allowed two phone calls a week for 10 minutes each and one in-person meeting with family or friends weekly.
Wage issue
Wages pending for over a year
While Revanna awaits work allocation, over 1,500 inmates engaged in prison labor across Karnataka haven't been paid for over a year. "Around ₹3 crore in wages is pending across prisons," a senior prison department official told TOI. The state has around 14,500 inmates spread across eight central prisons and several district jails, with only about 15% eligible to work under existing rules.