Court grants permission to shift Kannada actor Darshan to Ballari jail

Bengaluru: A court here on Tuesday granted permission to shift Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is currently in judicial custody at Parappana Agrahara Central jail here in the Renukaswamy murder case, to Ballari prison.

The court also permitted the shifting of other co-accused in the murder case to various prisons in the state.

Earlier in the day, both Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Home Minister G Parameshwara indicated that authorities were weighing the option of shifting Darshan, after a photograph of him hanging out with three others, including a rowdy-sheeter, on the lawns of the jail had gone viral on Sunday, sparking a row.

In the picture, the actor is seen in a relaxed mood, sitting on a chair and holding a cigarette and a coffee mug. Also, a purported video of Darshan speaking to a person over a video call from the prison too had surfaced on social media.

A total of 17 people, including Darshan, along with his friend Pavithra Gowda, are currently in judicial custody in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy.

The 24th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) court gave the permission to shift the accused persons in this case based on the request made by jail and prison officials.

While Darshan will be shifted to Ballari prison, Pawan, Raghavendra, and Nandish will be shifted to Mysuru Jail, Jagadish and Lakshmana to Shivamogga Jail, Dhanraj to Dharwad Jail, Vinay to Vijayapura Jail, Nagaraj to Kalaburagi/Gulbarga Jail, and Pradosh to Belagavi Jail, official sources said.

Three accused -- Pavithra Gowda, Anukumar, and Deepak -- will continue to remain at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail here. Four other accused -- Ravi, Karthik, Nikhil and Keshavamurthy -- were earlier shifted to Tumakuru prison.

"In the Darshan case we have asked for an inquiry to be done. Nine people, including the Chief Superintendent of the prison, have been suspended. In case anyone else has to be (suspended), we will do it. Based on the inquiry report, if (Darshan and others) have to be sent elsewhere, we will send," Siddaramaiah said earlier in the day.

Home Minister Parameshwara said an IPS officer has been appointed to review all the systems in the state's prisons.

He said the government cannot take a decision on shifting Darshan to another prison.

"There are certain norms as they (Darshana and co-accused) are under trial, based on which authorities will decide." Nine prison officials, including the Chief Superintendent of the Parappana Agrahara jail, were suspended on Monday over their "lapses" after a preliminary probe into "special treatment" to Darshan.

Also, three FIRs were registered, including against Darshan, under sections of the Prisons Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Those seated with Darshan in the photo are rowdy sheeter Wilson Garden Naga, and other inmates Nagaraj (the actor's manager and co-accused) and Kulla Seena, a convict in a murder case.

Meanwhile, city Police Commissioner B Dayananda earlier in the day said, Bengaluru Police has sought shifting of Darshan and other accused in the Renukaswamy murder case and other rowdy elements from Parappana Agrahara jail here to other prisons.

Noting that certain lapses were found in the prison, Parameshwara said inmates were allowed to move from one barrack to another and it is captured in the CCTVs. "So, action was taken against prison officials."

"Nine officials have been suspended, they will be replaced. Even the Chief Superintendent and the Superintendent have been suspended, also others who have helped Darshan and group by supplying them with chairs, coffee, cigarettes...all these things have been captured in CCTV, based on that all of them have been suspended," he said.

The inquiry is in progress, the minister said, adding, an IPS officer will be appointed for further probe.

"Based on the findings given by the officer, we will have to find some permanent solutions. After going through the report, we will do it," he said.

He added that he had come to know about a report submitted earlier for reforms in prisons. Also there is a national level report on police and prison reforms submitted during the tenure of the Manmohan Singh government. He would get them and take the necessary action.

To a question about alleged "royal treatment" also being given to other high profile prisoners like former MP Prajwal Revanna, Parameshwara said after the Darshan incident, all the systems in the prison will be reviewed, and an IPS officer has been appointed for this.

"The officer will be asked to review the entire thing at the prison, also in other prisons as lapses have been found in other persons too. They will all be reviewed," he added.

Speaking to reporters here, Dayananda said that three cases have been registered in connection with the incident at the prison. One of the cases will be investigated by an Assistant Commissioner of Police while two other cases by inspectors.

About the cases, he said, on matters concerning prisons, the court's permission is required and police are in the process of getting it for a detailed investigation.

"On Saturday, when a team of the Central Crime Branch had gone to check all the barracks of the prison, based on information that certain rowdies were involved in illegal activities, we did not find any incriminating materials or evidence then. Now, we have got information that certain things could have been shifted elsewhere before we reached there. Investigation is on regarding this," he said.