After special treatment row, Darshan to be shifted to Ballari jail

Bengaluru, August 27

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 in 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.