Bengaluru Court Orders Jail Authorities To Provide Basic Comforts To Actor Darshan After He Pleads For Poison, Breaks Down Over Prison Condition

Bengaluru: The City Civil and Session Court has directed the Bengaluru Prisons officials to provide basic comforts that are allowed in the Prisons Manual to actor Darshan, who is in jail in connection with the murder of Renukaswamy, who had cyberbullied Darshan's girlfriend, Pavithra Gowda.

At the same time, the court rejected the plea by the prison officials to transfer Darshan from Bengaluru Parappana Agrahara jail to Ballari jail, noting that there was no compelling reason to shift Darshan to Ballari jail.

7 Accused In The Murder Case Appear For Hearing

On Tuesday, seven accused in the murder case, including Pavithra Gowda, had appeared through video conference for a hearing before Judge P I Nayak. Darshan's lawyers had pleaded with the court to give directions to prison authorities to provide him at least a bed and a pillow. The lawyer had stated that Darshan had been locked in an isolated room and was made to sleep on a mat. When the hearing started, Darshan said that he needed to make a request to the court.

When the judge permitted him, Darshan broke down and said: ``Please direct the prison authorities to give me some poison. Not for the other accused, only for me. I have been locked up in a dark room, and it has been a month since I have seen the sun. They just throw food on a plate through the door at me. The entire room stinks, and I have a fungus infection. If I ask for anything, they ask me to get a court order. I am unable to live under this condition,'' he started sobbing.

Taken aback by the request, the judge said that the accused cannot make such requests and the court can never give such directions. However, the judge said that he would pass appropriate directions to the prison authorities in the afternoon.

Later in the afternoon, the judge said that Darshan was entitled to all the basic comforts that are prescribed in the prison manual. Besides, he should be allowed to walk in the corridor of his cell every day. The court also directed the prison officials to provide a bed and pillow to Darshan.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had cancelled Darshan's bail and had come down heavily after seeing a photo where Darshan, along with three others sitting on a chair and having tea and cigarettes. Since the Supreme Court made harsh remarks, the Bengaluru prison officials have locked him up in a dark room, refusing him even to come out of the room.