Kannada actor Darshan’s lawyer told the court that prison authorities ignored orders by denying him a bed, blanket, plate, and mug. He argued this amounts to contempt of court and misuse of quarantine rules.
Bengaluru: On September 17, the case surrounding Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, who is currently lodged in Parappana Agrahara Central Prison in connection with the sensational Renukaswamy murder case, once again came before the court on Wednesday.
The controversy mainly revolves around the basic facilities being given to him inside the jail.
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Darshan’s lawyer, advocate S. Sunil Kumar, told the court that the prison officials had not followed the earlier order of the court, which had clearly directed them to provide minimum facilities such as a bed and pillow for the accused.
Kumar alleged that despite the specific order, the actor was not given even basic items. He said that Darshan had been denied “a bed, blanket, plate, and a mug.”
The counsel argued strongly that this was a clear case of ignoring the court’s directions. He told the court that such conduct amounted to contempt of court because the officials were treating the judicial order “lightly.”
Advocate Kumar also questioned the decision of the jail authorities to keep Darshan and other accused persons in quarantine cells for more than a month.
He submitted that
“quarantine rules were relevant only during the Covid period. Now they are being misused to harass the accused.”
The lawyer further pointed out that, except for co-accused actress Pavithra Gowda, all the other accused persons were being kept in quarantine for long periods.
He asked the court to seek details of whether any elected representatives like MLAs or MPs had ever been subjected to such prolonged isolation inside jail.
Raising yet another issue, Kumar claimed that CCTV cameras had been placed around Darshan under the pretext of giving him extra security.
He said that
“even Pakistani terrorists lodged in the adjacent cell are being provided recreational facilities like carrom and television. There are videos to prove this,”
and offered to present those videos before the court if required.
On the other side, government pleader Sachin, appearing for the prosecution, denied all the allegations made by Darshan’s counsel. He submitted that the actor was being given facilities
“strictly in line with the jail manual.”
He further explained that the quarantine arrangement was fully in accordance with prison regulations. According to him, Darshan was not being kept in complete isolation because he was also allowed to take routine outdoor walks both in the morning and in the evening.
After listening to both sides, the court decided to adjourn the matter to September 19. The court also directed that during the next hearing, all the accused in the case should be produced through video conferencing.
The case against Darshan is one of the biggest criminal trials in Karnataka at present. Along with actress Pavithra Gowda and several others, Darshan has been accused of “abducting and torturing” 33-year-old Renukaswamy, a fan who had allegedly sent obscene messages to Pavithra.
According to the police, the victim was kidnapped and kept in a shed in Bengaluru for three days in June 2024. During this time, he was allegedly subjected to brutal torture, and later, his body was recovered from a drain.
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