Supreme Court of India sought response from Karnataka on plea by Darshan alleging denial of basic jail facilities. Bench of J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan issued notice.
The Supreme Court sought a response from the Karnataka government in a petition filed by actor Darshan, who is currently in custody in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case. Darshan has claimed that while he is in jail, he is being denied basic necessities, including proper food.
After hearing the submissions, a Bench comprising Justices J. B. Pardiwala and R. Mahadevan issued notice to the State and asked for a detailed report.
Representing Darshan, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi argued that the alleged denial of essential facilities was linked to an earlier observation made by the Court when Darshan’s bail was cancelled.
He referred to the order and stated,
“This is that case in which my Lords were pleased to cancel the bail of this petitioner, he was an actor…Your Lordships made an observation in the order that he should not get five-star treatment in jail. Due to that direction, I am not even given basic amenities,”
The Supreme Court, on August 14 last year, had cancelled the bail granted to Darshan and other accused persons in the case, observing that no preferential treatment should be granted.
Rohatgi also told the Court that Darshan has been kept in a quarantine cell and alleged that it lacks basic facilities. He said there is inadequate lighting in the cell and that Darshan is not being provided sufficient food. In addition to prison conditions, the Bench sought an update on the progress of the trial.
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The Court directed the State to submit information on the status of the proceedings.
The Bench said,
“We would like to know how many witnesses have been examined and how many witnesses the State proposes to examine. We would also like to have a fair idea of how much time the trial court is likely to take before it is concluded. We would also like to know from the State whether the basic amenities which the undertrial prisoner is entitled to are being provided to the petitioner or not. Registry shall see to it that appropriate reports are received within one week,”
The case concerns the alleged murder of 33-year-old Renukaswamy in June 2024. The prosecution’s case is that the victim who was a fan of actress Pavithra Gowda had reportedly sent objectionable messages to her. It is alleged that he was later abducted, kept in a shed in Bengaluru for days, and tortured. His body was subsequently found in a drain, leading to a high-profile investigation involving multiple accused, including Darshan and Pavithra Gowda.
With this order, the Supreme Court has focused on ensuring that, regardless of the seriousness of allegations, an undertrial prisoner is not deprived of basic human rights and minimum facilities guaranteed under law. The matter is expected to be taken up again after the State files its report.
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